Azerbaijan, Baku, April 22 / Trend I. Khalilova /
The opportunities of increasing exports of beer products from Azerbaijan were discussed at a meeting of the Baltika-Baku brewery board of directors.
"We expect to increase the export volume of beer products from Azerbaijan in the future," Baltika Breweries president Anton Artemyev (Senior Vice President of Carlsberg Group in Eastern Europe) said. "We have experience in export to Georgia, but these amounts are still insignificant".
Last year the Georgian market exported about 90,000 decaliter of beer. The major export brands of beer are Baltika-9, Baltika 7, Baltika Cooler and Arsenalnoye. In 2009, Georgia imported 187,000 decaliter of beer, of which 44,000 dal fall to the supply of Baltika-Baku products, he said.
The company president has not specified the date of launching supplies to Turkmenistan, regarded as one of the most promising markets for exports, due to the changes in import regulations in the country. "But we always take into account the possibility of exporting beer from Azerbaijan to Turkmenistan," he said.
However, he did not rule out the probability of appearing other markets for export supplies, for example, Turkey.
"Baltika-Baku" brewery produces such beers as Khirdalan, Afsana, Bizim, 33 Export. A new brand Khirdalan-Draft has been delivered to the market this year. The sorts of Baltika brand, including Baltika 3 Classic, Baltika 5 Golden, Baltika 7 Export, Baltika-9, Baltika Cooler, as well as Arsenalnoye were also delivered.
"Khirdalan is the leader among these brands," he said. "As of 2010, it hit 26 percent of the market. It is the highest achievement for a brand in all markets. For example, the share of Baltika beer is 16-17 percent in Russia, which is also a good result."
The Khirdalan brewery, launched in 1969, belonged to the Baku-Beer production union. It was one of six major breweries in the USSR. The plant moved to the management of French Group Castel concern in 1997. The brewery was mainly reconstructed in 1999.
The Baku Castel brewery was opened in 2000. Its annual output hit six million deciliter of beer with room for growth of up to 10 million deciliter.
By 2008 production covered more than 70 percent of the beer market in Azerbaijan. "Baltika" and Brasseries Internationales Holding (Eastern) Ltd (BIH Eastern) signed an agreement to buy the brewery in Khirdalan on May 15, 2008. After the deal was approved by Azerbaijani antitrust authorities, the brewery became a part of "Baltika". The brewery was renamed to "Baltika-Baku" in early 2009.
At present, the maximum capacity of the "Baltika-Baku" brewery is 10 million decaliter a year, while the needs of the Azerbaijani market are estimated at 6 million decaliter. Last year the plant produced more than 330,000 dal of beer (with an increase by 13 percent compared to 2009).
Baltika Breweries is the leader of the Russian beer market since 1996. The company has breweries in 10 cities of Russia, one plant in Azerbaijan, a broad portfolio of more than 40 brands including such well known brands as Baltika, Neva, Yarpivo, Arsenalnoye, Tuborg and Carlsberg. Baltika brand ranks first in European sales.