Kompania Piwowarska and Zywiec Neck and Neck

Beer sales increased 6% in the first nine months of this year. By the end of September, domestic beer producers had sold nearly 19 million hectoliters of beer. But according to market analysts, few brewers have been able to maintain their improved beer sales so far this month. Only Poznan-based Kompania Piwowarska, Koszalin-based Brok, and Lublin-based Perla have kept their edge. Kompania Piwowarska is the leader, with sales of 650,000 hectoliters in September and 5.3 million hectoliter in the first nine months of the year. Meanwhile, the largest beer producer, Zywiec Group, has recorded decreased sales thus far this year. According to preliminary calculations, Zywiec sold over 500,000 hectoliters of beer in September, selling more than 5.9 million hectoliters in the first nine months of the year, 11% less than in 1999. Declining sales for Zywiec and robust sales for Kompania Piwowarska have ignited speculation that Piwowarska may capture the number one sales spot from Zywiec. (Puls Biznesu, p. 4