Colombia’s drug policy of past 4 years a...
Medellin government rejects ‘illegitimate’ interim mayor
Electoral violence in Colombia doubled since 2018
Colombia legalizes assisted suicide in historic ruling
Why Colombia’s upcoming elections could trigger a crisis
Colombia’s inspector general suspends mayors on election meddling...
Daniel Quintero
Colombia made $1.2B available for possible slush funds
Did Colombia ‘disappear’ jailed narco with alleged ties...
AGC kill 26 during 4-day terror campaign in...
  • About
  • Support
  • Exclusives
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
Colombia News | Colombia Reports
  • News
    • General
    • Analysis
    • War and peace
    • Elections
    • Economy
    • Culture
    • Sports
    • Science and Tech
  • Travel
    • General
    • Bogota
    • Medellin
    • Cali
    • Cartagena
    • Antioquia
    • Caribbean
    • Pacific
    • Coffee region
    • Amazon
    • Southwest Colombia
    • Northeast Colombia
    • Central Colombia
  • Data
    • Economy
    • Crime and security
    • War and peace
    • Development
    • Cities
    • Regions
    • Provinces
  • Profiles
    • Organized crime
    • Politics
    • Armed conflict
    • Economy
    • Sports
  • Lite
  • Opinion
News

Colombian beer market booms

by Cameron Sumpter April 8, 2010

colombia beer

Speaking at the Cartagena World Economic Forum, the CEO of beer brewer SABMiller announced that Colombia is now the company’s most profitable beer market worldwide, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

The Andean nation’s beer sales were some of the least affected and fastest to recover from the global economic downturn, which hit the beer industry hard, said the company’s CEO, Graham Mackay, at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Latin America in Cartagena.

The Colombian government hiked the tax on beer from 3% to 14% from February 1st 2010, and has plans to raise it to 16% from January 1st 2011.

Mackay refused to comment on whether these tax increases would affect the multinational company’s profits in the country.

The improved security situation in Colombia was hailed as a major contributor to SABMiller’s recent success in the country, which the company had found a problematic market in the past.

“Where it did do business it was through third parties. Beer might have filtered into those areas through informal channels, but it was a very inefficient way to trade,” Mackay said.

“There are still some very remote areas of the country which are still dodgy, but we’re talking about jungle areas, not major conurbations.”

SABMiller has brewing and distributing agreements across six continents, with major brands such as Miller Genuine Draft, Pilsner Urquell, Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Grolsch, and Aguila.

The WEF is intended to strengthen relations between public policy and business.

The forum’s 550 guests come from 40 different countries, 60% of which are outside Latin America, according to WEF organizers.

Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, as well as the presidents of Barbados, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay and the Dominincan Republic attended the forum.

beerprofittaxworld economic forum

Trending

  • AGC kill 26 during 4-day terror campaign in northern Colombia

  • Why Colombia’s upcoming elections could trigger a crisis

  • Colombia’s inspector general suspends mayors on election meddling charges

Related articles

  • Colombia focused on spending cuts, reducing current account gap: Finance minister

  • Colombia the international benchmark in entrepreneurship: World Economic Forum

  • Colombia’s Postobon to challenge SABMiller 98% beer market share

  • RSS

@2008-2019 - Colombia Reports. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by Digitale Zaken and Parrolabs


Back To Top