E-Malt.com News article: Russia & Azerbaijan: Baltika’s upgraded Azeri brewery to be inaugurated on May, 20

Russia’s leading brewer Baltika has set the official opening of its upgraded plant in Khirdalan, Azerbaijan, at 20 May, abc.az reported on May, 16.

Adam Tlekhuray, general director of Baku-Baltika enterprise, says that due to the reconstruction the factory’s capacity increased from 0.7 million hl up to 1 million hl.

“Investments in the reconstruction project reached $20 million. The brewery will make all kinds of beer produced earlier plus beer Baltika, including Baltika #3, #5, #7, and #9,” Mr. Tlekhuray said.

Baltika completed the acquisition of the brewery in Azerbaijan in August 2008. As a result, Baltika acquired a 90% equity stake in Baku-Castel brewery in July 2008. Investments in Khirdalan brewery will initially make up to $20 million but can be increased in future. This is the first case of opening of a brewery by Baltika outside of Russia.

The Khirdalan brewery commissioned in 1969 belonged to production union Baku-Beer and was one of the six biggest breweries in the USSR times. In 1997 the brewery was transferred into ownership of France’s concern Group Castel.

In 1999 the brewery underwent large-scale reconstruction. By 2008 enterprise’s output made more than 70% of the Azerbaijani market.

On 15 May 2008 Baltika and Internationales Holding (Eastern) Ltd (BIH Eastern) signed an agreement on acquisition of the brewery in Khirdalan.

After the deal was approved by Azerbaijani antimonopoly services, the brewery became part of Baltika Breweries. In 2009 it was renamed in Baku-Baltika.


20 May, 2009