The largest brewer in Chile CCU saw its sales volumes increase 7.6% in the first-quarter of 2003, compared with the same period last year.


The company sold 3.06 million hectolitres in the quarter, of which 2.48 million hectolitres were produced in Chile and 580,000 in Argentina, the company said in a statement. Its strongest volume increase were its Argentine operations and in its wine unit San Pedro.


San Pedro sales reached 111,000 hectolitres in the period, up 47.2% on last year. CCU Argentina increased sales by 27.5 percent to 530,000 hectolitres.
 
CCU is owned by Chile’s Quinenco and German brewer Paulaner. But Heineken is planning to acquire Paulaner’s stake.