Tunisian drinks maker SFBT net up 8.5 pct in 2007

TUNIS, April 30 (Reuters) - Tunisia's largest brewing and soft drinks maker SFBT SFBT.TN reported an 8.5 percent rise in 2007 net income as turnover grew and it integrated a recent acquisition.

Net profit was 44.3 million dinars ($38.25 million) last year, up from 40.8 million dinars a year earlier, the firm said in a statememt on the Tunis bourse Web site on Wednesday.

Turnover grew to 147.9 million dinars from 145.5 million while operating profit climbed 12 percent to 31.8 million.

The company said its Sostem mineral water arm acquired local spring water bottling firm Marwa last year, while SFBT itself began consolidating results from milk company Socolait, IT services unit SIT and the group's commercial division Errafaha.

SFBT (Societe Frigorifique et Brasserie de Tunis), Tunisia's biggest listed company, announced a dividend payout of 0.575 dinars. (Reporting by Sonia Ounissi; Editing by Tom Pfeiffer)