Zimbabwe’s beer drinkers are switching from clear beer to masese because of affordability constraints according to the country’s largest beverages company, Delta Corporation.
The company, in which one of the largest brewers in the world SABMiller has a 38 percent stake, had a 12 percent increase in profit in the six months to September compared to the same period last year.
Net profit increased from $42.6 million to $47.7 million.
Sales grew by 5 percent, driven by its sorghum beer whose volume increased by 9 percent.
Lager volume was down by 10 percent while the volume of beverages increased by 8 percent and that of maheu by a staggering 57 percent.
Although the company usually has better sales in the second half which incorporates the festive period, it was very cautious only saying that the operating environment is likely to be demanding.
Delta Corporation is currently the biggest company on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange in terms of market capitalisation which stood at $1.8 billion today.
Econet, in second place, was way down at $554.7 million.
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