Russia: Baltic Beverage Holdings, Russia’s largest brewing Group, a 50:50 joint venture between Scottish & Newcastle and Carlsberg, announced on November 29 it became the only owner of St. Petersburg based brewery, OAO Vena, by purchasing 49.9% of Vena from Danish giant Carlsberg. The announcement was made by Christian Ramm-Schmidt, president of BBH, to Vedomosty. The value of the deal was not revealed. BBH has a 36% market share across Russia and holds leading positions across six Eastern European markets.

Sales volumes of OAO Vena brewery increased 20% in the first nine months of 2004 up to 147.8 million litres compared to the same period last year. Vena sold 131 million litres of beer for the period a 22% rise year-on-year. On November 11, shareholders of the Russian brewer Vena have approved a merger with Chelyabinsk-based Zolotoi Ural (Golden Ural) brewery, according to press reports. The merging company is to be registered in St. Petersburg.

OAO Vena was created on July 20, 1992. The company is brewing Nevskoye beer and is bottling Tuborg beer under licence. The brewery is also producing low-alcohol beverages. In 2003 Vena increased its sales volumes by 24.7% versus 2002 up to 163 million litres. The company’s net profit accounted for RUB 174.5 million in 2003.

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