The Dutch group Heineken announces for the first half a profit higher than forecast: +22% to 1.27 billion euros. For 2023, Heineken already anticipates an increase in profits of 5 to 10%. All regions of the world are concerned, without exception, particularly Asia-Pacific.
The United States and Europe are markets presented as solid with more consumer customers in bars and restaurants. Heineken even claims to benefit from rising prices – inflation – because customers are letting go after confinements and restrictions of all kinds, especially in China and Brazil. To have fun, they turn to the so-called beers premium (pure malt, without additives, therefore more expensive), which is all to the benefit of the group.
Heineken is an industrial giant present all over the world, but not all players in the brewing sector automatically benefit from this craze. In France, beer producers are present today in practically all regions, now well beyond Hauts-de-France, Alsace and Lorraine, which remain our main brewing regions.
Everywhere in France during the holidays we can taste – in moderation – excellent local beers on short circuits. The small brewers explain their difficult daily life: rising production costs, the price of raw materials (barley, hops which are now more expensive to harvest, but also packaging, glass, cardboard, transport and energy of course)
France now has some 2,500 officially registered craft breweries. Made up of more than 90% of VSEs (Very Small Enterprises) and SMEs with a total annual turnover of fifteen billion euros. These are 130,000 jobs, which is practically the equivalent of the Bouygues group worldwide.
On the one hand, the global giant Heineken, which is taking advantage of the recovery, on the other, our artisanal brewing producers who are working hard to get by, defending their regions and participating in the development of the territories.