Russia: Russia is seen as one of the world’s biggest markets for beer, with most of the main brewers pushing at the barroom doors. In recent months brewers in St Petersburg have begun production of both Kronenbourg 1664 and Foster’s lager, Edinburgh News commented on February 23. "It’s a huge market and it’s fast-growing. Just on basic volumes, you’ve got to be in Russia," says Rick Scully, managing director of Foster’s Brewing International.

Despite recent government curbs on beer promotion, Russia’s beer consumption has doubled to £3.6 billion in the last five years and now ranks as the world’s fifth-biggest beer market.

Dutch group Heineken has also recently joined forces with Britain’s Diageo - the world’s leading premium drinks company - in a bid to push Guinness and Kilkenny brands in the former Soviet country from July this year.

Alison Forrestal, general manager of Diageo Russia, says: "The existing distribution network of Heineken Russia and its specialised beer marketing and sales expertise in Russia will accelerate growth of Guinness brand in the fastest growing sector of the Russian beer market - the international licensed brand segment."

According to the latest figures from Russia’s brewers, consumption has quadrupled over the last ten years to 53 litres a year - still about half the level of the UK, United States and Australia.

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