Germany's Brau und Brunnen in the Black

Beverage giant Brau und Brunnen has reported healthy profits for 2003, despite the weak economy and a mandatory bottle deposit law. The company made a surplus of €7.5 million ($8.86 million), leaving shareholders with a €1.1 million profit, officials announced at their annual meeting in Dortmund on Tuesday. They added they expected overall profits to be healthy again in 2004. While Brau und Brunnen's beer sales in 2003 actually declined as compared to the previous year, mineral water and soft drink sales were up by 25 percent. German food giant Oetker took over Brau und Brunnen in February.