In Shanghai, for instance, Japanese Suntory holds first place with more than one-third of the market, according to an analyst at Business Information Shanghai. CR Snow is still at the beginning of its efforts to tap the city's beer drinkers, the analyst said.

CR Snow performed strongly in northern China as well as in Sichuan, Anhui and Hubei provinces.

Last year, total beer production exceeded 30 billion liters in the mainland, making the mainland the world's biggest brewer for a fourth straight year. Consumption is increasing at an average 6 percent annually.

In the next 10 years China's mainland will contribute 50 percent of the growth in the world's beer market.

Overseas brewers have been actively courting the market. SAB Miller owns 49 percent of CR Snow, with Hong Kong-based China Resources holding the rest.

American Anheuser-Busch Co owns a 27 percent stake in Qingdao-based Tsingtao Brewery Co. Belgium based InBev acquired Chinese Fujian Sedrin Brewery Co Ltd in June for 5.9 billion yuan (746 million U.S. dollars).

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