Operating profit for the six-month period ending 30 June rose organically by 17.1 per cent to €2.1bn, the company said last week.

The global brewer has moved in recent months to shift its global focus on beer production to better adapt to demands in emerging markets like South America, and to its more stagnant operations like the US.

While costs were up by 8.1 per cent organically on the back of increased transportation costs, operating margins for the period rose by 2.4 percentage points to 32.4 per cent.

The company said that the gains made during the half were a result of its increased focus on encouraging revenue through brand innovation and new pricing strategies rather than sales volume growth.

This reorganisation includes the divestment of the Rolling Rock brand for €67m to rival Anheuser Busch in a bid to increase focus on the higher-value market for European exported brands in the US, InBev added.

To this end, the company also announced cooperation with Anheuser Busch to import its leading European brands as of 1 February this year. The deal will relate to the import and distribution of brands such as Stella Artois, Becks and Hoegarden in the US.

Through its Canada-based Labatt division, the group acquired the outstanding shares in local group Lakeport for €139m.

In April, InBev also extended its South American presence with the complete purchase of Brazilian brewer Cervejarias Cintra.

In its regional operations, Inbev's North American division posted a 0.5 per cent revenue decline for the period to €722m. Operating profit still grew by 5 per cent on an organic basis to €239m as the company improved production efficiency.

InBev's Latin America northern segment dominated the group's operations with revenue up 11.4 per cent to €2.2bn for the period. Operating profit rose five per cent in organic terms to €1bn.

In the company's Latin America southern region, revenue gains for the group increased 21.5 per cent for the period to €469m. Organic operating profit for the region increased 22.6 per cent to €98m.

Revenues in Western Europe declined 0.4 per cent to €1.71bn on an organic basis, though operating profit improved by 0.9 per cent to €339m

Improved organic revenues of 25 per cent allowed the group's Central and Eastern European division to post sales of just over €1bn for the period. The segment also posted organic operating profit of €213m, up 20 per cent over the same period last year.

In Asia Pacific, the brewer posted a 9.1 per cent organic revenue increase to €474m. Operating profit was also up by 42.4 per cent to €120m over the six months.