Russia: Ochakovo brewery launches a new premium brand

Russia’s Ochakovo brewery is launching a new dark beer brand – “Ochakovo Premium Rubin” announced the Russian Brewers Union. This original sort brewed form a combination of several elite malts has a specific ruby hue and a light caramel taste. The new brand will complement to the line of Ochakovo premium beers which appeared last year with two new comers – “Ochakovo Premium Svetloye” and “Ochakovo Premium Chernoye Legkoye”. By the end of 2005, the company is seeing to a 25% increase of “Ochakovo Premium” line sales.

In the last two years, the biggest sales progress was registered in the “Russian Premium” segment. Within the stated period, the share of premium sorts in overall sales volume grew from 19 to 23%. The totals of “Ochakovo Premium” sales support this tendency. According to Business Analytical agency, within first 6 months of 2005 the “Ochakovo Premium” brand succeeded to take 1.4% of Moskow beer market in the “Russian Premium” segment. This year, the company is planning to increase this figure to 25% minimum.

“When launching the “Ochakovo Premium” brand in 2004, our idea was to make original beer sorts”, - Ochakovo sales director Viacheslav Merkulov comments. “We were first in the country to launch a dark light brand. Today we introduce a new original dark brand called “Rubin” That is a brand for those not afraid to experiment, for those looking for new original tastes. By the end of the year we will surprise our customers with a new original authentic premium brand”.

Like all other “Ochakovo Premium” beers, “Rubin” is sold in aluminum cans and original 0.5L glass bottles. The bottle has a twist-off top which is simply removed from the bottle without any bottle-opener.The recommended retail price for “Ochakovo Premium Rubin” is 18 – 18.5 Rubles per 0.5L bottle. The new beer will be distributed in retail sales network.

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