E-Malt.com News article: Azerbaijan: Baltika-Baku confident of market growth potential, welcomes new players in the industry

Baltika-Baku, enjoying the leading position in the beer market of Azerbaijan with a share of about 75%, welcomes the appearance of new players, General Director of Baltika-Baku LLC, Adam Tlekhuray, was quoted as saying by ABC.az on April, 2.

Mr. Tlekhuray said he believes the launch of small brewing companies has a positive impact on the development of the beer category and the beer culture in the country as a whole. In Azerbaijan, there is a potential of market growth, he believes.

“In Azerbaijan, there is a potential of market growth. And even considering the fact that the country consumes a lot of spirits, we are confident that Azerbaijan is gradually closer to the European type of consumption,” the Baltika-Baku General Director said.

“If the average Azeri drank 7 litres of beer last year, the average German drank about 117 litres of beer in the same year. As for the share, this year we expect to at least keep it at current levels, as well as attract new customers at the expense of innovative products, events and pleasant novelties for fans of beer,” he added.

Baltika-Baku produces such brands as Xirdalan, Afsana, Bizim, and sorts of brand Baltika. In 2011, the brewer successfully launched brand Xirdalan on Tap. This year the company is planning to launch several new products about which it will announce later.

Last year Baltika-Baku produced more than 0.3 million hl of beer and plans to increase these figures substantially this year, he said.

Four years ago when Baltika-Baku entered into the market of Azerbaijan, one of the key factors that influenced the decision to develop this business was an optimistic assessment of the prospects of market development and category. Baltika carried out complete reconstruction of the plant, and the then investment program reached $20 million. Currently the plant has good capacity, which even exceeds the demand of the market of Azerbaijan. The company does not use the full capacity of the plant, but every year it invests effort in improving product innovation and present the best-quality beer for the beer lovers in Azerbaijan, Mr. Tlekhuray said.


04 April, 2012