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program, optimizing CapEx and working capital, focusing on core brands and high volume margin innovation, and continue investing in our brand equity. In quarter three, 2023, our revenues expanded 0.4%, explained by 5.1% increase in volumes, more than offset by a 5.7% expansion in average prices in Chilean pesos. Lower volumes were caused by weaker consumption in Chile and Argentina and worse weather, especially in Chile, while holding market share and a contraction in wine exports. The higher average prices in Chilean pesos were a consequence of revenue management efforts across all our operating segments. Gross profit jumped 8.9% and gross margin rose 362 basis points, the latter explained by the higher average prices and flat average cost of goods sold versus last year.
MSD&A expenses increased 2.9% and as a percentage of net sales grew 94 basis points, mainly as a consequence of higher marketing activities, the latter to keep enhancing brand equity. EBITDA reached CLP 86,344 million, up by 37.7%. Net income dropped 44.9%, totalizing a gain of 9,499 million Chilean pesos during the quarter. Second, CLP 8,665 million of non-recurring expenses related with the integration of the route to market of our JV in Argentina with our Danone into our beer and cider operation.
In terms of cash generation, we deliver another robust quarter, thus as of September 2023, net cash inflow from operating activities totalized CLP 205,681 million versus a negative cash inflow of CLP 21,871 million. In 2022, while net cash outflow from investment activities reached CLP 111,051 million, decreasing from the CLP 175,168 million during the same period in 2022. In addition, we have decreased our portfolio complexity and recorded strong brand equity indicators, being key to hold market share in our main categories.
In the Chile operating segment, our top line expanded 5.1%, explained by 4.7% decrease in volumes being more than offset by 10.2% growth in average prices. The higher average prices were explained by a robust revenue management initiative that we have taken from end of last year. Lower volumes were explained by challenging consumption environment along with unfavorable weather, although in line with the industry as market share remained stable. Gross profit expanded 17.4% due to top line performance and lower cost pressures. MSD&A expenses were 12.3% higher and as a percentage of net sales grew 237 basis points, mostly due to higher marketing activities.
In all, EBITDA reached CLP 52,618 million, growing 38.7%, and EBITDA margin increased 320 basis points. In international business operating segment, which includes Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay, net sales recorded a 2.4% contraction in Chilean pesos as a result of 4.3% drop in volumes, partially offset by 2% increase in average prices in Chilean pesos. Volumes were negatively impacted by a weaker consumption environment in Argentina, partially compensated by volume expansion in all the other geographies. Gross profit expanded 1.1%. MSD&A expenses decreased 6% and as a percent of net sales improved 167 basis points due to efficiencies, compensating high inflation and other cost pressures, especially in Argentina.
Altogether, EBITDA reached CLP 25,785 million, a 30.2% expansion from last year. The wine operating segment continued facing a tough business environment during the quarter. Revenues were down 4.7%, mostly explained by a 17.3% contraction in volumes, while average prices increased 3.1% due to revenue management in the domestic market, partially compensated with negative mix effects. The lower volumes was explained by both a 14.4% fall in exports from Chile and a 14.8% drop in the Chile domestic market. Gross profit dropped 8.1%, but gross margin improved 296 basis points due to higher average prices and a decrease in cost per liter due to a more favorable cost of wine.
MSD&A expenses were flat versus last year and as a percentage of net sales increased 429 basis points associated with a lower business scale. In all, EBITDA reached CLP 11,606 million, a 21.2% contraction. In terms of our main JVs and associated business, in Argentina, volumes from our water business decreased low double digits, mainly impacted by a challenging consumption environment. We successfully continue with the route to market integration of this business. Finally, in Colombia, volumes contracted low single digits. Now, I will be glad to answer any question you may have.
Thank you very much for the presentation. We'll now be moving to the Q&A part of the call. If you have any questions, please press star two on your keypad. That's star two on your keypad and wait for your name to be called. If you're dialed in via the web, you may also ask a voice or a text question. We'll now give a few moments for questions to come in. Thank you. Our first question comes from Mr. Felipe Ucrós from Scotiabank. Please go ahead, sir. Your line is open.
Thanks, operator. Good morning, Felipe and team. Thanks for the space for questions. First, let me start with volumes. Clearly the volumes were not excellent in the quarter. When you look at the third quarter of each year for the past few years, you've been coming down from a peak of 8.2, I think, in 2021, then 7.9 in 2022, now 7.6. Do you think the post-pandemic correction is done? Should we be thinking about normalized volumes for here on out? Or do you foresee that there's a little more pain ahead, given what's happening with consumption in Chile?
Hello, Felipe. How are you? Yeah. First of all, comparing volumes nowadays with 2021 and maybe 2022, 2021 especially, is not the right comparison because you have CLP 55 billion of pension funds withdrawn in Chile and a boom in consumption. As 2020 was the year of the pandemic, of the lockdowns, 2021 was the party in consumption in Chile due to the pension fund withdrawal. I like especially to do a comparison with pre-pandemic volumes. This is from 2019. Total CCU volumes compared to 2019 are 14% more. Compared to third quarter of 2023 against third quarter 2019 is 10%. The first pillar of Hercules is to preserve scale, to maintain scale, both relative scale and absolute scale.
I think we are in this task. Regarding the third quarter volumes, of course, we came from a reduction in volume in quarter one of 3.4%, but we were still comparing with a very high comparison in quarter one of 2022 because still we had the effect once again of the pension fund withdrawal. We had an excellent growth in 2020 in the second quarter, growing 4.8% volumes and -5%. Coming to Chile, of course, we decreased the volumes in quarter one -1.2% because of the big comparison, so it was a very good volume. In quarter two, we grew 4.7%, and now we decreased 4.7%. Of course, I think there is two factors on that.
The first factors has to do with temperatures. We have had a very rainy, which is very good for Chile as a country, of course, to have good level of rain. Because we have drought conditions, so it's very good. We had a lot of rain during July, August, and the start of the spring, and also cold temperatures. The decrease in volumes in Chile are partially explained by temperature. On the other hand, of course, there is a deceleration in terms of consumption. This we have been always predictive on that because Hercules is about maintaining scale.
Overall, if you look at overall results in Chile, we are maintaining more or less the scale in absolute terms as we are, practically our volumes in Chile are -0.7% less than last year. Overall, maintaining the scale. In terms of relative scale, that take into account the market share, we are holding, even growing in some categories, our market share positions. That's the scenario. Going forward, it's difficult to predict. We will continue to face, I think, at least in the next few quarters, maybe this acceleration. Not further, I don't see a further acceleration in volumes. I see that we will be able to maintain the scale. I don't see something different given that. Quarter- on- quarter, it would depend on weather, it would depend on temperatures.
It's impossible to forecast weather, you know? There are some people that said that we'll have a very hot summer, but I don't know. I think meteorology is difficult, meteorology is a difficult science. In a nutshell is what we see in terms of consumption.
Okay. That's very helpful, Felipe. You essentially think that you're at more or less a new baseline for the company, right? Maybe if I can do a follow-up for costs. You know, after you've had some very good quarters of improvement on costs, in recent times, and it seemed that costs didn't provide that much of a tailwind in this quarter. What's your outlook for the next few quarters?
Yeah. Look, in terms of cost, I think we had some good news, but also some bad news. I think we have bad news regarding the non-alcoholic business, especially the non-alcoholic business, given the sugar prices that are at historical level. Orange juice. Orange juice is the tailwinds are very bad for orange juice and sugar. In terms of grains, it's a question of carryover of inventories. As I said in previous communications or previous conference call, benefit of pre-Ukraine prices for barley. That of course, in the global market, barley has been reducing the prices. However, we still have, in this year now, we have benefit a lot of the pre-Ukraine cost levels. Mm-hmm.
That's because of the opposite season that we have with Europe. In general, in the year, we see a stable unit cost and a lot of pressure in non-alcoholic beverages, given sugar prices and orange juice.
Okay. That's very clear. I'll get back on the queue for a few more questions if they're not asked. Thanks a lot, Felipe.
Thank you. Have a wonderful day, Felipe.
Thank you very much. Our next question comes from Thiago Belluzzo from Goldman Sachs. Please go ahead, sir.
Yes. Hi. Thanks Felipe, Claudio, for taking the questions, and good afternoon, everyone. I'll like to follow up now on SG&A, right? I see your efficiency ratio has marginally deteriorated, and it seems that most of the pressure was due to marketing, right? Parallel to this, we see Chile demand has been volatile. The company keeps pushing prices higher. Putting everything in perspective, I am wondering how much more marketing would you need to invest in order to keep scale amidst a very volatile demand backdrop, right? This is the first part of the question.
The second part of the question, assuming, marketing will likely continue to be an important driver for you to keep volumes, how much more efficiency the Hercules plan could extract in other lines eventually to partially offset this and protect your EBITDA margins? That's the question. Thank you very much.
Overall, I would say you are right that MSD&A increase a little bit in terms of percentage of net sales. I would say we recover normal levels of marketing expenses this year compared to 2022. 2022 was very tough year in terms of results. One of the pillars of Hercules, pillar number six, is about protecting or increasing our brand equity. This is what we are doing. Because without brand equity, you cannot have good revenue, good revenue management, pricing, and sustain our volumes. We think we are investing for the long term.
Adding up also the manufacturing expenses, we are practically flat in terms of expenses as percentage of net sales overall accumulated to the year. We will continue to support our brands while searching efficiencies. Also take into account that we have had high levels of inflation at the beginning of the year, now is more controlled. For us, we are just recovering the level of marketing to where we should be.
Also the indicator of percentage of net sales, although we have been doing a very robust pricing efforts, has been a little bit diluted by mix effects. At the end, this mix effect also contributed to it being, you know, having an increase on this ratio.
Looks good. Thank you very much, Felipe.
Okay, thank you very much. Our next question comes from Mr. Fernando Olvera, Bank of America.
Hi, good afternoon, and thanks for taking my questions. The first one is related to Chile, returning back to volumes. Can you comment what was the performance by channel, you know, at beer and soft drinks, if there was a difference? My second question also in Chile, how are you thinking about your pricing strategy for next year? Thank you so much.
Thank you, Fernando, for your question. Yeah, regarding the split between beer and non-alcoholic was very similar. We decreased in Chile the volumes around 4.7%. Excuse me, this was the decrease in volume. It was practically the same in non-alcoholic and beer.
Because we are maintaining market share, so it was industry in both. You know, temperature affect both categories, non-alcoholic and beer, and the macro is affecting equally both categories. Also the mix is equally affected in both categories. Overall that was the explanation. The second question was about Claudio.
About your pricing strategy for next year.
Yeah. We have increased again prices, so we are always working on revenue management initiatives, and looking at our promotional rationalization or promotional activities. Also we have increased price now in October, in some categories.
Especially non-alcoholic, given the prices that will not improve for some commodities, as I said, sugar and orange juices that are putting a lot of pressure in the PNL. Regarding next year, we expect at least increased prices with inflation, at least.
Great. That's very helpful. Thank you so much, Felipe.
Okay. Thank you very much. Our next question, text question from Mr. Martin Zetsche from Fundamental Capital.
Regarding prices, should we expect CCU to push increases north of inflation? Do you see space for that entering 2024?
Prices will depend on many factors. Will depend on input costs. As I said, certainly non-alcoholic, we should go beyond inflation given the input costs, especially in sugar, that is funny enough. You know, for your reference, sugar prices are the double compared to 2019. So that is a lot. Orange juice are more than double compared to 2019. It will depend on competition, it will depend on many factors, how our brand equity is. Of course, if there are opportunities to go beyond inflation, we will go for it.
Okay, thank you very much. Our next question comes from Mr. Enrique Bustamante from BTG Pactual. Please go ahead, sir.
Hello, Felipe, Claudio. Thank you. Thanks for taking my questions. I have two. The first one, you mentioned that you reduced portfolio complexity, right? In your remarks. If you could give a little bit more details on that in terms of, you know, which categories were. Did that take part?
Hello? We lost you.
Hi, can you hear me?
Sorry, I think we lost you for a second. Do you mind just repeating your question, please?
Yeah, sure. It's the first one is in terms of the portfolio complexity, that it means that you wrote that it has been reduced. So just wondering if you could give more details in terms of the categories that it happened, how relevant this might have been for volumes, and if it's achieving, you know, the intended results you planned with it. The second one, on the beer industry in Chile, and this is more of a long-term one, but we saw a very strong growth in beer volumes in Chile over the past many years. As you mentioned, Felipe, volumes, you know, they remain well above pre-pandemic. When we look at per capita consumption, it's now approaching the levels of other markets that were more mature for beer consumption, right?
I just wanted to hear a little bit more from you in terms of how you see the beer industry performing Chile in the long run, right? If growth, you know, should sustain the levels of the past, or if it might be closer to anemic.
Yeah. Okay. No, thank you for your question, Martin.
Enrique.
Enrique. Regarding complexity, yes. The program is about to focus on high volume and high margin SKUs. If an SKU has not the right margin and is not providing enough volume, simply we delete. We are deleting about 5% of the SKUs, and I think this in this typically in this program, this should not have especially an impact on margins. We should have a lot of discipline, especially when with innovations. To evaluate the innovation, if this provides, you know, better brand equity, if it's providing better margin, is this providing better high volumes? Okay, you have an entry ticket to enter into the system to launch it.
If you don't provide a strong additional brand equity, it doesn't provide additional volume, and it doesn't provide better margin, we will not launch it. That's in a nutshell what is about the complexity problem. Regarding your question in beer, of course, as I mentioned to the first question, our levels of consumption are, you know, Hercules is about to preserve the scale, and this is what we are doing. Because if I compare the accumulated volumes of the Chile operating segment, we are talking a very strong volume compared to pre-pandemic volume still. We think that the growth has slowed down or would be maybe in the next few quarters, 0% growth. As I highlighted, quarter three was exceptional because of low temperatures.
Okay, the weather, we cannot do nothing about the weather. We think the consumer has reacted in a good way because do not consider that we have increased in Chile the prices more than 13%. Of course, we have a mixed effect on that, and thus the prices, the net prices only increased 10% because three points were lost because of mixed effect. But overall, the consumer is there, the consumption is there, and we are maintaining the level of consumption that we had last year. And also, you know, growing against 2019. If you took four years, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2022, on the basis of 2019, we are growing in beer and non-alcoholic exactly the same, 19.3% compared to 2019.
If you divided this by four years, the more than GDP. In times of economic deceleration, it's still our products are you know in the wallet of the consumer. Maybe people will not consume you know other kind of items, non-durable. Beverage is still the market is there.
That's very clear, Felipe. Thank you.
Okay, thank you very much. We have a question from Mr. Diego Guzman from BTG Pactual Asset Management. Please go ahead, sir.
Hi. Thanks for taking my call, my questions. I have two questions. You specified that you did price increases in October in non-alcoholic business. I suppose maybe that this business has a better pricing trend. You also mentioned that cost outlook is a bit more pressured here. Mixing these two things, which one of the business do you think that has a better margin trend in terms of gross margin, maybe in the next six months or so. The second question is regarding the non-operational expense. It's an operational expense in Argentina, but we see it in the non-operational result of ARS 8,000 million something around that.
Do you have maybe a payback of this or an internal rate of return? I mean, can you explain us a little bit deeper what the economic implications of this change? Thank you.
Okay. Your first question, if I understood, was about prices. Yes, as I said, non-alcoholic will have more pressure because we have more commodity price pressure from non-alcoholic commodities such as sugar and especially orange juice. Our beer business has better margins than the non-alcoholic. Maybe beer is, although beer is more linked to the US dollar. We expect that at the end, both categories, of course, require at least inflation, but non-alcoholic requires more than inflation price increases to compensate this cost pressure.
Regarding the non-recurring expenses in Argentina, this is related to the integration of the Danone water business into our sales and distribution network. This is a non-recurring effect, as you highlighted, of approximately $10 million. This is the impact of our PNL is a non-operating because it's a JV that does not consolidate, and thus it has an impact in our non-operational results. Regarding the payback of that, it is very clear. It's adding to our network between four and five million hectoliters, more or less, of volume that certainly will provide us a better scale in Argentina in the future.
Especially in very difficult times in Argentina, it's very good to synergize the both distribution networks, the one that we have for beer and the one for water. It was an acquisition that we did last year. Now this year, we come to a very successful integration of both business, not only in sales and distribution, but also in head office, in financial services, and other overheads function. Would provide us, you know, a stronger PNL in Argentina. Okay?
Okay. Just to be sure, you mentioned that both businesses will try to be around inflation, maybe non-alcoholic above. Which business do you see has a better trend in margin normalization, beer or non-alcoholic?
You know, that's no big difference this year. I think, because we had last year, you know, very high aluminum prices on the one hand that affect the beer business, very high resin prices that affect the non-alcoholic business, very high malt prices. At the end, I think, as of today, both business are in the same range of normalization in terms of, on average. The point is looking forward, but always is an estimate, you know. Given what we had on the table, which are the commodity costs, certainly the non-alcoholic business has more cost pressure than the beer business.
Okay. Thank you.
Okay, thank you very much. Our next question comes from Mr. Carlos Laboy from HSBC Securities. Please go ahead, sir.
Yes. Hello, everybody. I was hoping you could give us more insights into how things are going in Colombia, market share, not just volume trends, market share, how your brands are doing in the marketplace, et cetera.
Yeah. In regard to Colombia, we do have maybe a little reduction in the first semester in terms of market share. However, recovering especially in the last few months, especially in September, we are being recuperating margin also because of input cost again. We have a very tough situation in input cost in 2022, but over time it's been recovering this. So still there are work to do, especially in enhancing our brand equity of our brands in Andina especially. And also the other thing that is important, improve our sales effectiveness there. But the latest signs in the last quarter, especially in September, in terms of market share are very encouraging.
Thank you.
Okay, thank you very much. Just a reminder, star two for any additional questions. We have a follow-up question from Mr. Felipe Ucrós from Scotiabank. Please go ahead, sir.
Thanks, operator. Yes, Felipe. If I could do just one more. Just wondering if you could comment a little bit on what's going on in wine and what you expect going forward. Obviously, there's been a lot of pain, and it's not just pain for CCU, it's industry pain with destocking and wholesale channels around the world. Just wondering if you could give us your take on how you think the next few quarters will evolve for wine. Thank you.
Yeah. It's an industry pain, as you highlighted, due to the stocking. I will not repeat myself of previous dialogues that we have had on this. I would be a little bit more optimistic now because it was especially in exports, in the first semester of the year, our export volumes from Chile decreased 19%, which was better than industry, but it was a bad 19%. In the third quarter, the reduction was 14%, which is better. What is good is that now in October, we have, for the first month in the year, increased by mid-single digit our export volumes. It's the first positive month of the year. Going forward, we expect a recovery in terms of growing, since the restocking should stop, let's say.
On top of that, we are working on brand preference a lot. We are working on enhancing our relationship with distributors. Also, our commercial offices that we have in the U.S., in China, and in the U.K. should enhance our commercial effectiveness in those markets. Maybe it's too early to call, Felipe, but we have had, you know, good news in October in terms of. Also in the third quarter, as we decrease less than the first semester. Okay. The first positive sign now in October. Going forward, we should expect finally a recovery in terms of volume.
That's very clear. Thanks a lot.
Okay, thank you. We'll just give another couple of seconds for any additional questions to come in. Okay, it looks like we have no further questions. I'll pass the line back to the management team for the concluding remarks.
Thank you. Thank you to all for attending today. During Q3 2023, we continue making progress to recover our financial results and profitability in a challenging and volatile economic context. Our initiatives under Hercules are showing positive outcomes through the year, allowing us to recover our operational results, hold business scale and market shares, improve margins, and strengthening especially our cash generation. Nonetheless, we are aware that more efforts are needed to improve profitability further, especially when the business scenario will remain challenging. In order to do so, we will keep executing our strategy to deliver profitable and sustainable growth. I wish you a wonderful day.
Thank you very much. This concludes today's conference call. We'll now be closing all the lines. Thank you, and have a good day. Goodbye.