In terms of restrictions related to the pandemic coronavirus in Russia fell sharply, the demand for craft beer. The main distribution channels are blocked, and retail consumers prefer the more familiar and affordable options. According to experts, the Russian market of “craft”, who had good prospects to the coronavirus, now a long recovery.
the Demand for craft beer in Russia has fallen markedly against the background of the pandemic coronavirus. Experts say the loss of up to 90% of sales. Despite the fact that the Russian craft beer market is one of the most promising in Europe, now it is under threat and may be affected by the pandemic as well as the largest American.
According to the newspaper VinePair, USA local market of craft alcohol is in a very difficult position: the restaurants, which was the main sales channel, closed and in retail stores, consumers make a choice in favor of the more familiar brands.
the Respondents “Газетой.Ru” experts say that in the Russian market there was a similar situation: “Craft beer is mostly spread in restaurants and bars. Accordingly, corny decreased the number of points of sale, and market segment, tied to the HoReCa suffered,” confirms co-owner of True Ale Breweries and “the Vikings” Paul Olshansky.
“In St. Petersburg we have five bars. In a pandemic, we were forced to close them. Now working only for delivery, respectively, in our case, the demand for craft beer has fallen by 90%,” — says the owner of the network of the Belgian beer cafe KwakInn Vladimir Postnichenko.
From travel restrictions to the consumers has reduced and visiting beer stores and now buy beer at the nearest-to-home stores where a representation of the range of crafting varieties is much lower, says sales Director AB InBev Efes Anna Mironova.
Chief brewer “of Carcosa” Dmitry Tarasevich adds that in the same great retail, one of the few who are allowed to keep a job during the regime of isolation, “craft” is very small.
In such conditions craftopia beer is very hard to compete with the usual:
However, it is not only the habit of the consumer, but the price of Kraft. Tarasevich, Dmitry drew attention to the fact that in the production of craft beer is almost always used imported raw materials, which are delivered from different parts of the world; expensive ingredients like juices, honey and other, make the cost of a drink is quite high.
“most of the crafting varieties now not available in shops, but those that are — are more expensive than the well-known international brands, confirms Vladimir Ppostnichenko. — Shipping Kwakinn for the last two months we see a decrease in average check. Accordingly, we can conclude that people began to count money, and increasingly to make choices in favor of inexpensive beer.”
the Russian craft beer market analysts as one of the most promising in Europe.
“it’s difficult to Calculate, but the overall share of Kraft products is 1-2% of the beer market. In America, “Kraft” has a much more 25-30%, however, compared to the same in Germany or the Czech Republic in Russia Kraft developed a culture much better”, — says Dmitry Tarasevich.
“Now for crafting optimization time of the revision of the production costs. I would say that crafting culture now is paused. I am sure that after the pandemic craft movement will begin to develop again” — suggests the expert.
experts of the market believe that in the current environment, the decline was inevitable. According to Anna Mironova, at the moment its scope is difficult to predict: it will depend on how long the mode isolation in the country and how many craft Breweries bars will open again after its completion. Dmitry Tarasevich adds that the restoration of all channels will take a very long time.
