CCU is Chile’s largest beer producer, supplying about 89%, of the domestic market. The company, which has been in business for over 150 years, is much more than a brewer, having added over the years a range of complementary activities such as the bottling and distribution of non-alcoholic beverages, mineral waters and fruit juices, and the production and distribution of pisco and wine.

Beer production and marketing in Chile is handled directly through the Cervercera CCU Chile subsidiary, which manages a wide range of products including Cristal, Morenita, Royal Guard, Royal Light, Escudo, Austral, Kunstmann, Lemon Stones, Orange Stones and others. At the same time, the business produces under licence, or imports, international brands of such renown as Heineken, Budweiser, Paulaner and Guinness.

In the international arena, the company is among the principle brewers and beer marketers in Argentina, with a variety of brands including Heineken, Budweiser, Schneider, Córdoba, Salta and Santa Fe. Beer production in Argentina is part of a long-term effort by the company to broaden its operational base and become an important player in the local market.

CCU produces soft drinks, which are bottled and distributed through the Embotelladoras Chilenas Unidas S.A. (ECUSA) subsidiary. Its products include Watt’s, Orange Crush, Canada Dry Limón Soda, Canada Dry Ginger Ale, Canada Dry Agua Tónica, Gatorade, Pepsi and 7 Up - all made under licence - as well as the brands Bilz, Pap, Kem, Kem Xtreme and Show, all developed and owned by CCU. In the soft drinks segment, CCU has a 23% share of the local market. Apart from this, ECUSA produces the top-selling Cachantun and Porvenir mineral water brands, which together can claim 62% of the market.

The production and sale of wine is handled in Chile by Viña San Pedro, which includes the Santa Helena operation. These two wineries produce a wide range of varieties and brands, including Cabo de Hornos, 1865, Castillo de Molina, Las Encinas, 35 Sur, Urmeneta, Gato, Santa Helena and Etiqueta Dorada. In 2000, San Pedro bought Finca La Celia, in Mendoza, Argentina, which produces and commercializes the La Celia and La Consulta brands. Last year, in a joint venture with Agrícola y Ganadera Río Negro, the company created Viña Tabalí.