OREANDA-NEWS. June 11, 2010. Sales of a non-alcoholic soft carbonated drink ‘Crazy’ will begin in June 2010 throughout Russia. This new, refreshing soft drink will be launched in the three most popular among Russian consumers varieties: cola, orange, and lemon.

Denis Sherstennikov, Vice-President Marketing: "First and foremost, I would like to emphasize that beer is and will continue to be the key sector for our business. At the same time, this launch is in complete accordance with Baltika’s strategy, aimed at diversifying our brand portfolio. Having products in different categories in our portfolio makes us less dependent on the situation in the beer market. Producing soft drinks and other non-alcoholic products — like kvass and bottled water — we are substantially expanding the potential target audience for our products, and opening new long-term opportunities for developing and strengthening our position on the Russian market."

With its unique system of distribution and production facilities across Russia, Baltika is well positioned to occupy a respectable position in this new market, by offering consumers an attractive youth brand. The primary competitive advantage of Crazy is the consistently high quality of a drink produced by Baltika at an affordable price.

"By volume, the Russian non-alcoholic soft drink market, including kvass, is equal to half of the total beer market, and we view this initiative as very promising," Lyudmila Yakushina, Brand Director License, Low-Alcohol Beverages & Non-beer Brands. "Crazy is an affordable, delicious drink that quickly quenches your thirst, which we developed specially for youth ages 16 to 25 with a positive life position. Additionally, Crazy is in no way inferior to its foreign counterparts where taste and quality are concerned."

Under the single brand Crazy, three flavours will be immediately available to consumers — refreshing lemon, juicy orange, and original cola. All three varieties will be sold in the most popular packaging types for this drink category: 0.5-litre, 1-litre, and 2-litre PET bottles, designed for consumption in a wide range of situations. Using these packaging types in the product line will allow Baltika to gain strong positions both in traditional retail and in modern sales channels.

Crazy will be produced in two locations: the Baltika-Tula subsidiary and the Baltika- Krasnoyarsk subsidiary. In the long term, production is being considered in other Baltika breweries.