The second year in the Corona pandemic has left its mark on the entire beverage industry. Caution and distance continued to be constant companions in everyday life, not really allowing carefree socialising for many months. This had an impact on the results of the Krombacher Group: a total output of 7.335 million hl was achieved across all brands (-0.9%). The Krombacher umbrella brand suffered slight losses in a year-on-year comparison and ended up at 5.590 million hl (-2.3%), which was stable when compared to the sector. The results of the Schweppes Deutschland GmbH were once again very positive. The output of the non-alcoholic soft drink family has grown by around 5% to 1.453 million hl with the Schweppes Zero variants becoming important drivers of this growth. Uwe Riehs, Managing Director Marketing, comments on the annual results: "Overall, we can look back on a satisfactory business year for the Krombacher Group. We have consistently pursued our path towards greater variety in our portfolio. Especially in these times, it shows that the strategy of diversification supports us in serving the diverse wishes and needs of our consumers in the best possible way." Robust performance for market leader Krombacher in the beer segment Krombacher is still the undisputed No. 1 beer brand in Germany. Consumers particularly appreciate the very high quality and the variety of Krombacher products. Krombacher Pils continues to be the big draw, thanks to an increase in demand from the hospitality sector and vibrant international markets. Krombacher Pils was able to gain further market share, particularly in exports (272,000 hl) and in the draught beer/hospitality segment (294,000 hl) where the output was increased again in 2021. Krombacher's non-alcoholic varieties continue to develop very positively and provide important growth opportunities for the umbrella brand. In particular, the Krombacher o.0% range was able to generate further growth once again in 2021. More and more people are refreshing themselves with the isotonic thirst quenchers. In addition, KROMBACHER`S FASSBRAUSE, the refreshing malt-based drink without any alcohol, is constantly reaching new consumers and impresses with its taste and quality. Focus on quality, product diversity and expansion of the non-alcoholic offer Uwe Riehs sums up: "Our brands have continued to perform very well in the second Corona year. We expect a challenging environment for the first half of 2022, but we are entering the year with confidence. This is because of our high product quality, the broad product range and our consistent path towards more non-alcoholic and alcohol-reduced products. With non-alcoholic products now accounting for around 38% of our total output, our position in the market is further strengthened.” "Thanks to our strong product portfolio, our drinks are already enjoyed in the hospitality sector, among friends and family and at sport events. We look forward to reaching and inspiring even more people with our brands with new events, such as music festivals. In 2022, we will continue to take both our consumers and our employees with us, in order to get back to normality together. This applies in particular to our social responsibility, which we will continue to fulfil in the coming year.” Krombacher has been a very active supporter of the vaccination campaign in Germany from the very beginning. For example, a vaccination centre was set up at the Krombacher brewery in May 2021. To date, more than 17,000 Corona vaccinations have been carried out there in cooperation with a GP practice from Krombach for the employees of the Krombacher Group, their relatives and the people from Krombach and the surrounding area. - Picture is available at AP Images (http://www.apimages.com) - Press contact Krombacher Brauerei Bernhard Schadeberg GmbH & Co KG Peter Lemm, Company Spokesperson Hagener Strasse 261 57223 Kreuztal-Krombach Mail: press@krombacher.com Tel.: + 49 (0) 2732 880 813 Website: www.krombacher.com Twitter: @krombacher About Krombacher Family-run and with a deep respect for nature, Krombacher has been producing its superior beers exclusively in the Krombach valley, central Germany, since 1803. Combining the original methods of traditional brewing craft with state-of-the art technology, the brewery only uses the finest natural ingredients to deliver high-class beers. For the precious water, Krombacher beers benefit from the local Felsquellwasser(R) found in 48 wells within 3km of the brewery. The special water is naturally soft and low in mineral content, providing the beer with its unique, recognisably refreshing and crisp taste. Being Germany’s No. 1 beer brand and one of the most modern beverage suppliers in Europe, the Krombacher beers are now available in more than 50 export markets around the world. In addition to the flagship Krombacher Pils, the ever-expanding portfolio of authentic Krombacher products provides consumers with a broad variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to choose from. SOURCE:Krombacher Brauerei GmbH & Co.