OREANDA-NEWS. On 04 August 2008 was announced, that Baltika Breweries participated in Die Biermeile - the 12th International Berlin Beer Festival, which took place from 1 to 3 August 2008. The Berlin Beer Festival was founded in 1996. This year some 260 brewers from 86 countries around the world applied to take part. Around 1,800 beer varieties were available for sampling at Die Biermeile. There were 18 stages where a variety of concert programmes will be on offer.

Traditionally the International Berlin Beer Festival is held on the famous Karl Marx Allee. Tents of the beer brewers are set up along a 2.2 km stretch from the Strausberger Platz to the Frankfurter Gates.

Die Biermeile breaks down into 20 sections or ‘regions.’ Baltika and other international beer brands were represented in the region called Biere der Welt (beers of the world). Baltika Breweries have two tents on their 200 sq.m. space where it will be possible to sample draught Baltika №7 Export beer and Baltika №8 Wheat beer, as well as the whole line-up of Baltika beer in bottles and cans.

Ekaterina Zezkova, Baltika Breweries, Sales Manager, Europe: ‘The main peculiarity of the festival is the huge number of varieties and brands of beer from all over the world. Each year the festival pays homage to one of the beer traditions. This year Die Biermeile was held under the slogan ‘1000 Years of Traditional Czech Culture.’ We are taking part in Die Biermeile for the sixth time and we are successfully solving the task of promoting Baltika and Nevskoye brands in Germany. We will acquaint our buyers with our traditional varieties as well as with the Company’s latest products.’

Baltika Breweries has been shipping beer to Germany since the year 2000. At present all varieties of the Baltika and Nevskoye brands are on sale in the country. In Q1 2008, Baltika Breweries sales in Germany increased by 34% compared to the same period last year and amounted to more than 260,000 litres. Baltika Breweries is the largest Russian exporter of beer to Germany. In 2002, the Company’s subsidiary Baltika Deutschland GmbH began its operations in the country. In various years, Baltika №6 Porter and Baltika Cooler have received prizes at the European Beer Star Award (Munich, Germany). In 2007, Baltika became the sole producer in Eastern Europe to participate fully in the German system of deposits for non-reusable packaging, the DPG.

Baltika Breweries is the largest FMCG producer in Russia. Ever since 1996 it has been the leader on the Russian beer market. The Company comprises 11 breweries located across all of Russia. It has an extensive portfolio of brands. There are more than 12,000 employees. Baltika Breweries is the leading exporter of Russian beer to countries both near and far: it accounts for 70% of all export shipments of Russian beer. Baltika products are exported to 50 countries around the world.