April 15 (SeeNews) - The resurgence of Bulgaria's beer market is set to continue over April and May, as the arrival of the warmer season and the lifting of measures to contain the pandemic led to a pick-up in sales, the Union of Brewers in Bulgaria (UBB) said.
Beer sales during the Easter holidays in Bulgaria, which are in the second to last weekend of April, are expected to stay on an upwards curve, in succession to a 21% annual growth in sales revenue and 16% growth in sales volume generated in 2021, the beer industry body said in a statement on Thursday, citing recent data from marketing research institute GFK.
By comparison, in 2020 beer sales revenue increased 13% year-on-year whereas sales volume went up 14%, the data showed.
Bulgarian beer brewers generate 60% of their total sales volume in the months between April and September, the statement showed.
There are 39 small, medium, large and micro-breweries in the country, which account for a total of 180 product lines, with lager holding the largest market share of between 93% and 95%.
Companies in the sector are also improving their sustainability measures, with large enterprises building solar photovoltaic farms and obtaining biogas from bio-anaerobic wastewater treatment facilities.
The UBB is amongst seven industry bodies which teamed up with the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce in a platform that aims to achieve the recycling 55% of plastic packaging on the market by 2025.
The UBB comprises Bolyarka, Britos, Zagorka, Kamenitza, Carlsberg Bulgaria, Lomsko Pivo, Dorovski Invest and their suppliers of raw materials and equipment.