Russia: Ochakovo increases exports by 16% in the first quarter 2006
Moscow's Ochakovo Brewery, one of the major producers of beer and other beverages in Russia, exported almost $400,000 worth of products in the first quarter of 2006, up 16.2% year- on-year, Interfax communicated May 17.
The growth is mainly attributable to an increase in sales of Ochakovo kvas (a lightly fermented traditional beverage) and Kutskova vodka in the United States. The company began selling kvas in aluminum cans in the U.S. in September 2005 and managed to sell more than 15,000 liters of kvas in the first quarter. As a result, Ochakovo's partner in the U.S. extended its contract with Ochakovo and agreed to begin distributing kvas in two-liter bottles. This could result in more than 300,000 liters of kvas being sold in so-called Russian stores in the U.S. by the end of 2006, the company said.
Sales of Kutskova vodka, which appeared on the North American market five years ago, almost doubled in the first quarter of 2006. The Kutskova bottle was specially redesigned for the U.S. market this year and the vodka is now sold in 1.75-liter bottles.
Beer accounted for 73% of overall exports in the first quarter, Ochakovo kvas - 14.5% and strong and low-alcoholic drinks - 12.5%.
In the next three months, Ochakovo plans to support its foreign economic activities with an active advertising campaign, the company said.
Ochakovo was set up in 1978 and incorporated in 1993. Its largest shareholders are its top managers.
Ochakovo sold 721.1 million liters of products in 2005, down 0.2% from 2004. Beer sales dropped 3.2% to 508 million liters. Sales of low- alcoholic beverages totaled 89.3 million liters in 2005, down 17.5% from 2004, while sales of non-alcoholic drinks rose 43.22% to 118.9 million liters. Sales of kvas grew 75.2% to 43 million liters in 2004.
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