On April 22, 2003, Russia-based brewer, Heineken, is launching its free-alcohol beer brand Buckler in St. Petersburg city. That is the first off-alcohol beer brand produced in Russia by a foreign company. According to Business Analytika, 1.7% of beer market is held by off-alcohol beer. During 2002 that index increased from 1.6% in January to 2% in December. Free-alcohol beer Baltika N 0 holds 44% of this specific market, Sokol – 23% and Bochkariov – 16%.

Produced in St. Petersburg Buckler will be sold for RUB 25 per bottle. Imported Buckler was sold only in pubs and restaurants for about RUB 60 per 0.33 l bottle. Heineken chose Buckler, as it is very popular in Europe and holds there 30% of free-alcohol beer market.

The Dutch brewery Heineken acquired the St. Petersburg-based brewery Bravo in February 2002 for US$ 400 million and renamed it into Heineken. In March 2003 the Dutch company began brewing the Heineken brand at its St. Petersburg-based company.

22 April, 2003