On Tuesday, Bofferding announced its annual results for 2015 at its brewery offices in Bascharage, with a reflection on the beer markets in Luxembourg, Europe and the World.

The world beer market in 2015 was marked by the announced of the merger of AB Inbev and SAB Miller which tigether now represents 30.6% of the global beer market which actually contracted 0.6% last year (Europe and the Americas both grew 0.3%, with Africa growing at 5.2%). On the other hand, consumers have shown a tendency for the beers from Micro and Nano Brasseries.

In Luxembourg, InBev announced an investment for the constrruction of a new brewery in Diekirch. Also five new Nano Brasseries sprung up in Luxembourg last year, complementing

the seven existing. From 1 January 2015, VAT rates on beer rose 500% which had a negative affect on beer sales (estimated at a 7% drop). Also, the weather in 2015 was not conductive to the sector in Europe and Luxembourg with heatwaves and much rain both experienced, with the former leading to a growth in sales of soft drinks and mineral water.

Nevertheless, the sales of beer brewed in the Grand Duchy totalled 286,861 hectalitres in 2015, a rise of 15,000 hl; 60% of these came from the Bofferding brewery (just under 30% of beer sold in Luxembourg). At the same time, imported beers accounted for more than 50% of beer sales in Luxembourg (the higest percentage by far in European countries).

The group has also been exporting to the Greater Region, notably to France and Belgium.

The Brasserie Nationale (Bofferding brewery, created in 1764) reported sales of 154,000 hl in 2015, represting an EBITDA of €4.501 million (€4.62m in 2014), with the group reporting an EBITDA of €9.951 million (€9.920 m in 2014). These represent combined sales of Bofferding an dBatin beers.

2015 also saw the opening of a new restaurant open to the public, An der Brauerei, in Bascharage, at an investment of €2.3 million. The brewery employs 27 people in total (down 2 from 2014; 125 employed in the industry in Luxembourg).

The brewery sources its ingredients from regional produce and prides itself on not including additives or preservatives.

Munhowen, the distribution arm of the group, reported total sales of 379,079 hl, compared to 387,000 in 2014, with a turnover of €67.529 million and EBITDA of €5.450 million, a rise of 2.8%. Munhowen employs 229 people.

Photo (below) by Geoff Thompson