Heineken Ireland has posted a 3 per cent jump in sales to €153 million for the first half of the year, boosted by a growing preference for lager among Irish consumers.
The company also reported that it now holds a 21.6 per cent share of the beer market, having grown its market share more than any other main brewery in the six months to the end of June.
Managing director Gerrit Van Loo attributed this strong first-half performance to the popularity of the Heineken and Coors brands, combined with high-impact consumer marketing.
"At a brand level, heightened awareness and visibility as a result of the Heineken European Cup, the Uefa Champions League and Heineken Music further underpinned the premium positioning of our products, as will Heineken's association with the World Cup Rugby in 2007," he said.
Heineken has also been introduced to restaurants, and the company continues to expand its range of speciality beers, with recent introductions including Sol and Zywiec.
Meanwhile, its Dutch parent company Heineken NV recorded a 30.4 per cent drop in net profit for the first six months of the year to €302 million, as a result of exceptional charges of €240 million.
These charges includes a fine of €219 million payable to the European Commission.
Heineken was among several Dutch brewers to incur a fine earlier this year for alleged price-fixing in the beer market in the Netherlands. It plans to appeal the verdict.
