Beer Business #2-2018. Leaders’ Plays and Regionals’ Shares

  • Reading time:46 min(s) read

The beer market dynamics in Russia is approaching zero, yet major brewers are divided into those who developed considerably in 2017 and those who considerably reduced their volumes. For instance, company Efes has managed to substantially extend their sales due to restrained pricing policy and activity in the modern trade. Heineken has also demonstrated an excellent performance promoted by significant increase of advertisement budgets launching a non-alcohol sort of the title brand and unusual activity in the economy market segment. Carlsberg and AB InBev have been focusing on margins and lost a market share of their inexpensive brands. Serious dependence on PET package and mass enthusiasm about Zhigulevskoe have negatively impacted the most of big regional brewers, that have been for the first time pressed by the leaders in the key sales channels, especially in Volga and Central regions. In the small business there has been a noticeable slowdown in appearing of new restaurant breweries, yet the number of craft breweries has been growing rapidly. In 2018, the beer market is likely to grow a little, while the share of AB InBev Efes may decrease due to the integration. (more…)

Beer market of Russia 2016: PET goes to draft

  • Reading time:47 min(s) read

pet-logoThe beer market of Russia was warmed up by the hot summer, but the preparation for large volume PET prohibition has already impacted it negatively. The year was successful for Efes, MBC and regional producers; Carlsberg’s positions were virtually stable but AB InBev and Heineken lost a part of market share having focused on the sales profitability. The dynamics of big brands was determined by how much the companies were willing to keep the prices down or by their promotional activity. In this context the economy segment of the beer market and sales of inexpensive draft beer were increasing. The premium segment started shrinking due to license brands migrating to the mainstream segment. (more…)

Beer market of Vietnam: “Young tiger”

  • Reading time:56 min(s) read

Vietnam is one of the few big beer markets that continue to grow steadily. The beer popularity results from its low price, street consumption culture, and social motives. The outlooks of beer market as well as the Vietnamese economy inspire optimism, though the country is heavily dependent on export of goods. The state regulation can be called liberal, but the key risk for brewers is harbored in intensive rising of excise. Within TOP-4 there are two leaders, Sabeco and Heineken that grow at the fastest rates. The first company effectively employs its capacities, the second one focuses on marketing technologies. Almost 80% of the market belongs to century-old brands, yet the middle class and the youth are shifting their interest toward international premium that is growing taking share from the mainstream.
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Beer market of Russia, 2016. Balance found?

  • Reading time:47 min(s) read

Over the past 6 years there was not a sign of the beer market stabilization, but now we can cautiously speak of it in three different aspects – economic, demographic and competitive. On the one hand, the changes are touching upon the consumption structure, i.e. the beer volumes drunk by different generations of the Russians are coming to equilibrium. On the other hand, the fall of beer sales by international companies was balanced by the growth of their smaller competitors. The economy in 2016 is more stable, the spring-summer season passed without shocks and the Russians, heated by the good weather, thought of beer. The year was marked by three events on the market, i.e. beer advertisement return to TV, Baltika’s sales fluctuations, and transition of Carlsberg and Gosser brands to the mainstream segment. (more…)

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

  • Reading time:28 min(s) read

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

  • Reading time:3 min(s) read

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…)

Territory of freedom. Interview with Andrey Matsola, CEO of “PPB” and Oasis CIS alliance

  • Reading time:15 min(s) read

The most important event Ukrainian brewery saw in 2012 is assets merging of two independent producers, namely “First Private Brewery” (Persha Pryvatna Brovarnia) and Oasis CIS. Due to restyling of existing brands the joined company managed to substantially reinforce its market positions, having gained 5% of the market. This became possible thanks to capacity growth of Lvov enterprise as well as to utilization of brewery in Radomyshl. In his interview Andrey Matsola told about new conditions and market policy and relationships with the business partners. Corr.: Your alliance with Oasis emerged soon after purchasing Radomyshl brewery, where you had been bottling beer under the contract. Can you name it the main reason for merging on your part? A. Matsola: Actually we have known Oasis group for a long time and have been in contact with its owners. Purchase of Radomyshl brewery took place in 2011, but long before that we had been considering possible variants of cooperation. We saw this purchase as a proof of how strong Oasis’s intentions to enter Ukrainian market were. When owners do not hesitate to make big investments, we become more positive about their intentions and we believe that it is possible and pleasant to cooperate…