Its CEO Michel Doukeris indeed opened the door to this possibility on Thursday during a conference call with analysts and investors after the publication of the company’s second quarter financial results.
The Belgian-Brazilian beer giant had already raised beer prices by around 8% in the first half. However, as inflation remains very high almost everywhere, current prices are lagging somewhat, Doukeris explained. It is therefore possible to proceed with an increase. In the past, the world’s largest brewer factored inflation into its pricing.
The CEO, however, would not confirm that AB InBev would fully pass on the price increase. “We try to find a balance between consumer expectations, prices, our costs and the market environment,” he explained.
The boss admitted that inflation was higher than initially expected. “But we have different ways of coping with rising costs,” Doukeris said, without going into details.