In 2008, HAMÉ achieved the highest sales revenues in the Company's history, climbing above CZK 5 billion. With the total revenues amounting to CZK 5,267 million, this represents a sales increase of as much as 9% compared to 2007. Meat production with 60% accounted for the largest share of the sales revenues, followed by vegetable and tomato purée products with 23%. Sweet production is another major revenue generating item, covering baby food, stewed fruit, as well as jams, fruit mixtures and plum jam. This segment contributes to the total revenues with 17%.

On the Czech market, the year-to-year sales increase was more than 5%. This phenomenon was the most strongly manifested in the segments of chilled ready meals, baguettes and sandwiches, meat and vegetable baby food and ketchups.

The traditional Slovak market was similarly successful for HAMÉ , with the sales revenues increasing by 5% on a year-to-year basis and achieving a total of CZK 780 million.

Another market showing successful development where HAMÉ was able to increase its sales revenues by as much as 21% is Romania, a country in which HAMÉ has been active since mid 1990s. The production plant in Caracal, supplying the Romanian market with HAMÉ canned meat, pâtés and ready meals, is one of the driving forces behind this growth.

Russia is another potential market where HAMÉ has been active for many years and where it has its own production plant. The year-to-year difference in sales revenues generated on this large market was an increase by 18%, with the total revenues exceeding CZK 630 million. Excellent results were reported, in particular, in the segments of ready meals, ketchups and baby food products.

The business activities of the subsidiary HAMÉ Hungaria have also shown many positive developments during the last year. In a year-to-year comparison, we achieved an 11% increase. The segments of ketchups and sweet production account for the absolutely largest share in the revenue increase.

Last but not least, also Ukraine is amongst the countries in the focus of the HAMÉ 's commercial activities; this market reported a year-to-year increase by 12%.

An increase in the sales revenues was also achieved by HAMÉ in its exports to other territories, as the Company exported 53% more articles than in 2007 to many countries worldwide (excluding the subsidiaries). As a result, HAMÉ products can be found in more than 35 countries around the world. These include, for instance: Poland, Austria, Croatia, Israel, as well as Cuba, Libya, U.S.A. or Japan.

The success story of HAMÉ is backed by its broad-based commercial team and by major investments in the marketing support of its products and brands. Also this year, HAMÉ will invest hundreds of millions of Czech crowns in advertising and promotion activities. At the beginning of this year and in the context of the economic crisis, however, the planned marketing activities were partially reallocated, particularly to sub-line activities, which means addressing the end customer directly at the point of sale. Naturally, HAMÉ will also continue to support its products with media advertising in the Czech Republic, Slovakia or Romania.