Turkish company Efes Beverage International will increase its turnover in Russia up to U$200 million in 2003, Selih Mavish, CEO of Moscow Efes Brewery ZAO announced in a statement. He said the turnover of Efes in Russia would increase 25% in 2003 against last year, without taking into account the purchasing of Ufa-based brewery Amstar in August this year. Mavish noticed that every year the volumes of beer production at Moscow Efes increase twice faster than the Russian brewing industry. He is forecasting Efes will increase beer output in Russia by 14% this year in comparison with 2002; while Russian beer market will increase 7%. Mavish said Efes in Russia has a production capacity of about 5.2 million hl per year. He noticed that this capacity is not enough for Efes and next year the company might purchase an enterprise in the Far East with the production capacity of 1 million hl per annum or might build a brewery if their wouldn’t be any reasonable offer.

30 September, 2003