Harare - SABMiller's Zimbabwean partner Delta Corp said lager sales rose 5 percent in the second quarter after its cheaper brands offset weak premium beer sales.
Delta, Zimbabwe's largest listed company, said sales of the cheaper sorghum beer fell 12 percent during the quarter to September, another sign of waning consumer spending amid an economic slowdown.
Soft drinks sales declined 14 percent due to competition from cheaper imports, while revenue was down 6 percent, Delta said in a trading update.
Delta, which cut the price of its main lager beers by up to 11 percent last week, said it would cut prices again to stimulate demand in an economy struggling to emerge from a catastrophic recession between 1999-2008.
Delta is 38 percent owned by global brewing giant SABMiller, which is a takeover target of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewer.
AB InBev wants to extend its reach into Africa, which is expected to see a sharp jump in the legal drinking age population as well as increased beer consumption among a fast-growing middle class.
REUTERS