Baltika Breweries to call extraordinary general shareholders meeting

Baltika Breweries will call an Extraordinary General Shareholders Meeting in order to take a decision on a contract for the licensed production of Baltika brands at the Derbes Brewery facilities in Kazakhstan.

The Baltika Board of Directors held a meeting yesterday at which it was decided to call an Extraordinary General Meeting of the company’s shareholders. The Meeting agenda will include approval of licensed production of Baltika brands in Kazakhstan at the Derbes Brewery facilities. Derbes, like Baltika Breweries, is part of the Carlsberg Group.

The license agreement entails the integration of Baltika and Derbes’ operational processes in marketing, distribution, and sales. This move marks an important step forward in the Carlsberg Group business strategy, which is aimed towards integration and increased efficiency.

The Baltika Breweries Extraordinary General Shareholders Meeting will be held 2 December 2009 via absentee voting.

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Baltika Breweries is the largest FMCG producer in Russia; since 1996 it has been the leader of the Russian beer market. In terms of sales, the Baltika brand holds first place in Europe (Canadean, Euromonitor). The company has breweries in 10 Russian cities and 1 brewery in Azerbaijan, and boasts a large brand portfolio. Baltika Breweries is the leading exporter of Russian beer: Baltika products are available in more than 50 countries make up 70% of all Russian beer exports.

Derbes Brewery is a Carlsberg Group company and one of the leaders on the Kazakhstan beer market. The company’s brand portfolio includes Derbes, Irbis, Alma-Ata, Tuborg, and Corona Extra.