OREANDA-NEWS. June 09, 2010. Belarusian OAO Olivaria brewery plans to invest 1 million euros in quality-improvement efforts and development of open-air trade, the general director of the company, Mikhail Chechenev, told reporters.

“We prioritize quality issues and retail in summer months. Investments will be channeled in quality improvement and open-air trade – we invest in draught equipment, tents, pavilions, bars.”

Chechenev said “stable quality is achieved through constant perfection of the production process and innovation.”

In 2009, Olivaria invested over 1.1 million euros in new equipment, including a new system of unmalted material purification. Olivaria specialists commissioned beer overcooling and separation facilities, launched a closure system and a system of accumulative conveyors.

Olivaria was founded in 1864 and transformed into a joint stock company in 1994. In December 2006, Sweden’s BBH acquired a 30% stake in Olivaria by purchasing an additional issue of shares for USD 18.5 million.

Carlsberg A/S acquired a stake in Olivaria through a purchase of a BBH shareholding from Scottish&Newcastle.

According to AC Nielsen, Olivaria market share stood at 16.5% on May 1, 2010, and its share in the total production of beer in Belarus was at 18.2%, according to Belgospischeprom concern.