OREANDA-NEWS. July 05, 2010. Baltika Breweries launched a new premium product — Somersby, a natural apple cider. It is produced under license from Carlsberg Group. Somersby is a successful European brand sold in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, and Finland.

Denis Sherstennikov, Vice President of Marketing, Baltika Breweries: "The cider market is successfully developing in Europe, while in Russia this product is mostly represented by expensive imported brands. Analyzing current market trends, we think this is a very promising and attractive category for Baltika. Due to years of experience producing fermented beverages, we made a premium quality cider that is available to a wide audience. Somersby is another step towards broadening Baltika’s non-beer portfolio, which is a key aim of the company, in addition to the continuous development of the beer sector".

Somersby is a completely natural beverage with a low, 4.7% ABV content, made from 100% apple juice via natural fermentation. It has a pleasant refreshing apple taste, and can be served chilled or over ice.

Somersby consumers are urban men and women ages 25 to 35. They are broad-minded, interested in all new things, love experiments.

Somersby natural cider is available in clear glass 0.5-liter bottles with twist-off caps. The recommended retail price is 48 RUB/bottle. It is produced in St. Petersburg and by the end of the year will be available throughout Russia.

Baltika’s development strategy for its non-beer line includes the successful sensation of the last year — kvass "Khlebny Krai" ("Granary Land"). In 2010, Baltika entered potable water market with "Zhivoy Ruchey" ("Life Spring") bottled water and non-alcoholic carbonated drinks market with "Crazy". A new kvass flavour has also been released — "Khlebny Krai 7 Zlakov" ("Granary Land 7 Grains"). Somersby is the 11th brand in Baltika’s non-beer portfolio.