Alken-Maes books loss for fourth consecutive year

Alken-Maes, the number two brewery in Belgium, incurred a significant operating loss for the fourth year in a row. The Dutch parent company, brewer Heineken, is therefore investing heavily in marketing its abbey beer, Affligem.

With an operating loss of €6.44 million in 2013, Alken-Maes did better than in 2012 when the company was €11.4 million in the red. The brewer of Maes Pils, Cristal, Affligem and Grimbergen does not have it easy in Belgium, where it operates in the shadow of brewer giant AB InBev.

Alken-Maes has incurred an operating loss every year since 2010, amounting to €30 million. No wonder that Heineken, the owner since 2008, delivers very few reports on its Belgian operations. In 2010 and 2011, the annual reports show that volumes remained stable. In 2012 and 2013, the annual reports include even less information on the Belgian market, except to mention that the international brand Desperados, a beer with tequila flavour, is gaining in popularity.