Budweiser brewer AB InBev boosted by cider launch

The world’s biggest brewer AB InBev today said its newly-launched Stella Artois Cidre had helped offset a 16% decline in beer volumes in the UK.

The group, which makes Stella Artois, Beck’s and Budweiser, said beer volumes in the UK had fallen in the second quarter of 2011, after it came up against tough comparative figures a year ago when sales were boosted by the World Cup.