Manila's San Miguel Brewery Q1 net profit up 8 pct

MANILA, April 8 (Reuters) - San Miguel Brewery (SMB.PS) said on Wednesday its first-quarter net profit rose 8 percent from a year earlier to 2.66 billion pesos ($55.5 million), aided by cost cuts and stable raw material prices.

The beermaking unit of San Miguel Corp (SMC.PS) SMCB.PS, Southeast Asia's biggest food and drinks firm, said January-March net sales revenue stood at 12.43 billion pesos, marginally higher than the same period last year.

Kirin Holdings (2503.T) has said it will buy up to 49 percent of San Miguel Brewery.

($1 = 47.9 pesos)

(Reporting by Manolo Serapio Jr.)