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Denmark’s disappointing summer drains Carlsberg coffers

A cold and wet summer in Denmark was bad business for brewing giant Carlsberg, which sees profits rise when customers can enjoy a beer outside in the sun.

Published: 2 November 2017 11:06 CET

Denmark’s disappointing summer drains Carlsberg coffers

Photo: Thomas Borberg/Polfoto/Ritzau

The company’s results for the third quarter of 2017 – July, August and September – show a one percent fall in turnover to 16.7 billion kroner (2.2 billion euros).

But the company was successful in raising prices on last year.

“In the third quarter, our efforts continued to sell more signature products by delivering a solid development in the price mix.

“Developments in volume sales were, as expected, affected by the ban on selling beer in large plastic bottles in Russia, very comparable figures in Eastern Europe and bad weather in Western Europe,” administrative director Cees t’Hart wrote in a press statement.

Carlsberg’s largest region in terms of turnover, Western Europe, was also its most disappointing, according to the company’s figures.

Turnover in the region dropped by 900 million kroner (120 million euros) to 9.6 billion kroner (1.3 billion euros) in total.

One positive aspect for the company was the success of its specialist brands.

Sales of Tuborg increased by five percent, and the specialist Grimbergen brand saw a seven percent increase.

Sales of craft beers made by the company shot up by 34 percent.

That reflects a cornerstone Carlsberg’s current strategy, with a focus on more expensive specialist beer to offset difficulty in increasing volume of sale.

READ ALSO: Carlsberg crafts profit rise with premium beers

Parts of Denmark have seen heavy snow in early December.

Parts of Denmark have seen heavy snow in early December. Photo: Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix

Recent snowstorms disrupted North Jutland in particular and Denmark in general, and more cold weather can be expected this weekend albeit severe, according to forecasts.

“We won’t see the Ragnarok-like weather we’ve seen in some places recently again this weekend, but it’s now winter weather and it has also snowed in several places overnight,” said meteorologist Frank Nielsen of the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI).

READ ALSO: IN PICTURES: Early December blizzards disrupt Denmark

Cold weather on Friday and a low front across the North Sea will bring clouds and precipitation across Denmark from the west, Nielsen said.

That will materialise as cold rain or sleet in many areas but probably snow in North Jutland, he said.

“There could be between five and ten centimetres of snow north of the Limfjord,” the meteorologist said, referring to the waterway that cuts across the northern part of Jutland, including main regional city Aalborg.

“In the southern part of the country, an equivalent five to ten centimetres of rain could fall,” he added.

Friday’s temperature will be between freezing point and five degrees Celsius, with the north of the country falling in to the lower end of that range and the south the warmer end.

Mist and fog is forecast this evening, caused by various weather fronts moving over Denmark.

That could still be felt on Saturday morning, though it is likely to be a little warmer at 2-6 degrees Celsius. Mild winds could make that fell chiller, but snow is unlikely.

Sunday will see the temperature drop again, to 0-4 degrees Celsisu. Snow is possible, particularly on eastern coasts.

Strong winds in the east of the country and along the coasts will result in a “rather cold 24 hours,” Nielsen said.

Nighttime temperatures are expected to drop below zero throughout the weekend. Motorists are therefore warned to be alert to icy road surfaces.

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