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Iranians To Get High on Zero-Alcohol Beer
St. Petersburg, Russia, July 30: Russian beer producer targets Iranian market with its zero alcohol brand.
St. Petersburg, Russia, July 30: Russian beer producer targets Iranian market with its zero alcohol brand.
The Islamic Republic of Iran -- where sale of alcohol is strictly forbidden -- may not seem at first
glance to be the most receptive market for beer producers, but Russia`s Baltika brewer has big hopes for its non-alcoholic brand.
With the blessing of Iranian officials, Baltika has started exports of its zero alcohol beer to Iran. The Russian brewer hopes to capture about 20 percent of the Iranian market by the end of 2004.
That`s a total of 30,000 litres of beer to be packed into trains and run down to the Russian south where it will be shipped across the Caspian Sea to Iran. Baltika`s marketing director Igor Karpov said that Iranian consumers will get the same quality of beer that Russians are able to buy back home.
"This is the same product which Russian beer drinkers can see on the shop shelves of the Russian Federation. This same product will be supplied to the Islamic Republic of Iran, canned Baltika - number 0" - without alcohol.
There are no special adaptations in design, taste or character (of the beer). Of course, we had to receive special certification to ship this beer to the Iranian market," said Karpov. Several other non-alcoholic, locally produced labels are licensed for sale in Iran, but this will be the first major entry by a foreign firm.
And it won`t come cheaply for beer-thirsty Iranians. Baltika says the one-half litre cans will cost 30,000 Iranian rials (about $3.5 USD) which is approximately four times more than its cost in Russia. Bureau Report
With the blessing of Iranian officials, Baltika has started exports of its zero alcohol beer to Iran. The Russian brewer hopes to capture about 20 percent of the Iranian market by the end of 2004.
That`s a total of 30,000 litres of beer to be packed into trains and run down to the Russian south where it will be shipped across the Caspian Sea to Iran. Baltika`s marketing director Igor Karpov said that Iranian consumers will get the same quality of beer that Russians are able to buy back home.
"This is the same product which Russian beer drinkers can see on the shop shelves of the Russian Federation. This same product will be supplied to the Islamic Republic of Iran, canned Baltika - number 0" - without alcohol.
There are no special adaptations in design, taste or character (of the beer). Of course, we had to receive special certification to ship this beer to the Iranian market," said Karpov. Several other non-alcoholic, locally produced labels are licensed for sale in Iran, but this will be the first major entry by a foreign firm.
And it won`t come cheaply for beer-thirsty Iranians. Baltika says the one-half litre cans will cost 30,000 Iranian rials (about $3.5 USD) which is approximately four times more than its cost in Russia. Bureau Report