Carlsberg Okocim posts high Q1 loss

Beer producer Carlsberg Okocim closed the first quarter zł. 37.5 million in the red. The operational loss was zł. 24 million, much below the zł. 5 million and zł. 1.6 million on the operational level in net profit in Q1 2002. According to Marcin Piróg, the head of Carlsberg Okocim, many other brewers are also recording losses. "Unfortunately, we had a long winter, which hit our sales," he explained. Moreover, the company took over financing the Bosman and Kasztelan breweries, a zł. 15 million burden initself. Okocim is servicing its own short-term debt, which in January-March stood at zł. 480 million. However, despite larger than expected losses, the company is planning to increase its sales by 10% this year. (Parkiet, May 10-12, p. 2) J.K.