SAB boss says fuel and food costs hurt beer sales
South African Breweries CEO Richard Rivett-Carnac said lower-income drinkers are under pressure, while volumes of premium and superpremium brands grew by more than 30%. He spoke after parent company AB InBev released its third-quarter results.
Rivett-Carnac said premium brands such as Corona and Stella Artois grew strongly. He said the growth comes from consumers choosing to buy premium brands, not from existing customers trading up. SAB expects premium beer to keep growing faster than the wider beer market over the long term.
The AB InBev results showed South African beer volume growth trailing the wider industry. SAB's Beyond Beer range, which includes Flying Fish and Brutal Fruit, grew at a rate in the low 30s.
Rivett-Carnac said a fall in oil prices, which lowered petrol and diesel costs, would give relief across the economy. On fuel prices, he said: "Until that happens, we need to ensure we manage our costs".
Key facts
- Who
- Richard Rivett-Carnac (CEO of South African Breweries); South African Breweries (country's largest brewer, subsidiary of AB InBev); AB InBev (parent company of SAB, reported third-quarter results)
- What
- SAB's CEO said rising food and fuel costs are putting pressure on lower-income beer drinkers, following AB InBev's third-quarter results, which showed South African beer volume growth trailing the wider industry. He said premium brands such as Corona and Stella Artois grew strongly, with premium and superpremium volumes up more than 30%.
- When
- 2 November 2026
- Where
- South Africa
- Status
- Reported