OREANDA-NEWS. On 23 May 2008 was announced, that May 19-20, 2008. BALTIKA BREWERIES had participated in the International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event, the enormous specialised forum which took place in Chicago, Illinois under the aegis of the USA’s National Restaurant Association.

The International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event is a unique venue where producers of alcoholic beverages from around the world can show off their products to the owners of restaurants, retail and wholesale chains, operators in the HoReCa industry and importers and distributors of alcoholic beverages in the USA.

On its stand, Baltika Breweries presented the entire line-up of the Baltika brand: from pale and light lager to dark, aged porter. Visitors to the exhibition had a very high opinion of the broad range of beer varieties, the flavour characteristics and the high quality of Baltika beer. In 2008, the International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event was visited by more than 70,000 people and Baltika Breweries specialists conducted a number of very important negotiations there, setting up new business contacts and strengthening existing relations with American partners.

Dmitry Kistev, Director of Export Sales at Baltika Breweries remarked: ‘The American beer market is estimated to be around 250 million hectolitres. Nearly 15% of the market is constituted by the imported segment and, what is especially important to us, that number continues to grow. We rate the potential of the market in the USA very highly and we intend to participate actively in its development. Today no one can have any doubts about the popularity of the Baltika brand among the Russian-speaking population of America. Venues like the International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event or the Bar Show in New York give us the possibility to show ourselves off in professional circles and to enter America’s national beer market.’

Baltika Breweries has been present in the USA since the year 2000. Today the entire line-up of the Baltika brand is on sale in the country, as well as Arsenalnoye and Zhigulevskoye. The Baltika brand is the sales leader, accounting for 90 % of the Company’s sales volume in the USA. The most popular variety in the line-up is Baltika №9 Extra, with a 43% share in the Company’s sales volume in the USA during Q1 2008.

Baltika Breweries has been named ‘Best Russian Exporter’ for the sixth year in a row. The Company’s products are exported to 47 countries around the world and account for more than 70% of total Russian beer exports. During Q1 2008, Baltika Breweries grew at a faster pace than the Russian beer market as a whole and increased its share of the market to 38.1% (according to Company data). The export volume of the Company’s products grew by 13.6% during the reporting period.