News Briefs: Britvic, German ale and gourmet beer

Britvic revels in revenue growth ​​ Britvic's revenues were up 31.2 per cent to €214m over the latest quarter, as it reaped the benefits of its expansion into Irish soft drink production and the improved performance of its core brands. The UK-based soft drink maker said yesterday that the contribution of its Irish operations to its overall profits amounted to £49.3m (€66m) for the three-month period ending 31 December. Through the group's British operations, revenues rose by 1.1 per cent over the period driven by a 0.4 per cent sales hike in the group's carbonated beverage segment and a 1.2 per cent still drink rise. Britvic said it had managed to outperform the overall still drink market, which had declined by 1.7 per cent over the three months, due to the improved market share of its Robinsons brand in the country. Sales of the company's carbonated beverage brands were in line with expectations, although they ultimately fell short of a 2.5 per cent market growth, which the company said had been driven by demand for more functional products. Sales from its Britvic International division, which exports the company's goods to 50 countries around the world, posted sales growth of 12 per cent, the group said. The company said that it would continue to focus on cost controls throughout it entire European production cycle over the coming year, adding that it would soon reveal details regarding its annual innovation program. With these measures in place, Britvic said it was confident of delivering its market expectations for the fiscal year. German beers sales slide ​​German beer, once seen as a staple of the country, appears to be falling out of favour with the country's consumers as sales by 2,9m hectolitres during 2007 to 103.9m hectolitres according to the country's national statistics board. The 2.7 per cent decline was seen to reflect a growing focus by Germany's ageing population on healthier alternatives to ales and lagers, according to Carlsberg's unveils €269 beer ​​ Carlsberg hopes to go gourmet with its latest lager launch, with a new brew that will set consumers back a cool 2,008 Danish kroner (€269). The brewer appears to be taking growing demand for premium lager to the next level, with the known as vintage number 1, which will have to compete with the more traditional gourmet tipples like wine and champagne. The concept is unlikely to be one of the brewer's most powerful sellers, with it being made available in just three Copenhagen-based restaurants, according to Danish press sources.