Russian Beer Boom

News that the Russian beer market is hotting up came this month, as the activities of four big brewers in the market hit the headlines.

First up, American giant Anheuser-Busch announced it had struck a deal with the Dutch heavyweight Heineken to distribute the former’s Bud brand in Russia.

Then British brewer Scottish & Newcastle saw its stock rise to its highest level in three years after announcing it had won approval to merge four Russian breweries.

The move will allow S&N, along with its partner in the venture Carlsberg, to cut their annual costs by 25%.

The Russian beer market is booming, with total sales
by volume rising 41% since 1999, as consumers continue to ditch vodka.  db  April 2006