RECREATION / FOOD and DRINK

List: Top Ten Brands of Beer in Russia

Date: June 2008

Source: Romir

Base: 1,500 respondents aged 18 and over were interviewed. The research was conducted as an all-Russia omnibus and studied beer-consuming preferences. The question was: "Which of the following brands of beer have you drunk at least once in the past three months?"

Notes: According to the survey a slight majority of Russians (57%) drank beer regularly. In the same survey carried out in 2005, 50% of respondents gave an affirmative answer to this question and in 2003 the figure was 53%. 75% of males and 41% of females drink beer (in 2005, 68% and 34% respectively). Respondents aged 25 to 44 drink beer more than any other age group (71%). Many fewer respondents aged 60 and over drink beer (27%). A thorough review of the data can be found at the source link above.

Baltika was the leading brand. Baltika Breweries is based in St. Petersburg and as of writing had 18 breweries in total - 4 in the Baltic countries, 3 in Ukraine, 1 in Kazakhstan and 10 in Russia. It was started as a joint venture company (Baltic Beverages Holdings) in 1990 by the Scandinavian companies Orkla (Norway) and Hartwall (Finland) and in 2003 was transferred to a 50:50 joint venture between Carlsberg A/S and Scottish & Newcastle plc.