Distillers Jelínek register 13 percent drop in profits in first half of 2009

Rudolf Jelínek, one of this country’s biggest distillers, recorded a 13 percent year-on-year drop in profits in the first half of 2009. The distiller’s earnings in the first six months of this year amounted to nearly 166 million crowns, it was announced on Monday. According to a spokesperson for the company, Zdeněk Chromý, the firm sold some 2.5 million bottles of spirits in the first six months of this year - in 2008, sales from January-July amounted to more than 3 million bottles. The distillers Rudolf Jelínek are famous for their plum brandy, Slivovice, but also for Borovička, which is made with pine needles and Hruškovice, which is made with pears.