Mainstream vodka Green Mark’s owner Russian Alcohol Group has announced sales increases of more than 20 percent in the first two months of 2009, according to reports in the St Petersburg Times.
Chief executive Carlo Radicati said the growth will probably “continue in that direction” for the rest of the year.
“Russian Alcohol has a flexible portfolio of brands that is adaptable to the current situation,” Radicati said.
Russian Alcohol accounted for 13 percent of the market by volume in 2008, followed by Synergy.
The report added that a financial squeeze in the country is pushing out smaller producers, enabling Russia’s largest private vodka maker to keep increasing market share.
According to Moscow-based investment bank Renaissance Capital, Russian vodka consumption may climb 0.6 percent in volume this year as more people switch to local brands from imported ones. The market may climb 11 percent when valued in rubles, it estimated. Last year, Russian vodka output slipped 7.6 percent as higher incomes enabled more shoppers to buy imported alcohol.
Look out for Drinks International's annual vodka supplement in the May issue.
