The beer market of Russia: from transnational to national. “Journal.Beer 3-2015”

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The beer market of Russia - from transnational to national

Russian beer market is becoming ever more difficult to operate on for the major international companies. On the one hand, they turned out to be the most dependent on the forex fluctuations, that is, ruble devaluation has sharply decreased their revenues. On the other hand, the mass beer brands that used to secure steady sales are currently difficult to fit into the narrowing market space, while brands by independent companies are gaining popularity. Falling volumes of production and revenues force companies to close breweries optimizing capacity utilization, to raise prices and consequently, lose consumers, and to focus on premium and international beer segments where their positions are still strong. While in 2014 these processes led to market premialization, by the end of the year the sales growth of inexpensive beer by independent producers started exerting such a strong influence on the market, that its polarization resumed again. (more…)

Modelo Especial Reaches Sales Milestone

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Modelo Especial has exceeded 43 million cases in annual depletions, becoming only the third import beer to achieve 40 million cases sold in one calendar year. (more…)

Ukraine: upswing of beer brandbuilding

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In 2012 the palette of Ukrainian beer market became much more colorful and interesting. New products «piloted» in Russian beer market were rapidly gaining their market weight at the expense of the old brands. Among the brands launched in 2012 licensed brands, or brands alluding to foreign origin prevailed. Due to them there was a considerable widening of the product range in the upper mainstream and premium segments. By October 2012 the market share of the new brands in the largest Ukrainian cities exceeded 4%, which is not bad at all for a term of one year. Self-Seller American King Some More "Czech Beer" Trying English Junior in the "Che" family Self-Seller Launching of «Zhiguli Barnoye» was supported by one of the quietest marketing activities, but at the same time it was one the most successful in Ukrainian market. The rapid gaining of the brand weight had no correlation either to the distribution level or to the zero brand awareness or to the comparatively high price of this beer. The consumer, on spotting a bottle of «Zhiguli Barnoye», which by the way was not at the foreground, preferred it to famous brands. Maybe Ukrainian consumers knew this brand already? Practically, no.…

Anheuser-Busch Asks Studio to Obscure Labels in ‘Flight’

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The high-flying, alcoholic commercial airline pilot Whip Whitaker, portrayed by Denzel Washington in the drama “Flight,” has drawn objections from the beer brewer Anheuser-Busch and the distributor of Stolichnaya vodka for using their products in the movie without authorization, The Associated Press reported. (more…)