FDBusiness.com

Heineken has commenced the brewing of its Amstel brand at its St Petersburg brewery in Russia. Heineken is reported to be aiming to capture a 1% share of the Russian beer market for Amstel by the end of the year as consumer demand for premium beer brands, such as Heineken and Zlaty Bazant, recovers.

During the past decade the Russian beer market has expanded by more than 40% and is now the fourth largest in the world. However, a 200% increase in beer tax imposed by the Russian Government in 2010 dampened demand.

Five brewers – Baltika Breweries, SUN InBev, Heineken, Efes and SABMiller – control over 80% of the Russian beer market. Calsberg’s Baltika Breweries is the clear market leader with a 40% share.