OREANDA-NEWS. On 20 May 2008 was announced, that Tel Aviv is enjoying the musical festival "From Russia with Love," which has become a tradition in the country. This year’s festival is dedicated to Israeli Independence Day and the victory over fascism. Baltika Breweries is providing sponsorship assistance to the event for the second year in a row.

In 2008, Israel is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the founding of the State. Therefore the concert "From Russia with Love" will be especially filled with well known performers coming from Russia and Israel. This year the following stars of the Russian musical stage will take part in the Festival’s concert programme: Sergey Lazarev, Dmitry Koldun, Anton Zatsepin, the Lube Group, Serebro, Tokyo and Banderos, as well as the Israel performers Evgeny Shapovalov and Marina Maximilian Bloom.

Baltika beer will be the exclusive beverage of the event. The Company’s pavilions have been set up on the grounds of the park, offering guests the chance to sample Russian bottled and draught beer from the Baltika brand line-up, as well as to participate in lotteries and receive souvenirs from the brewer.

Each year more than 200,000 people come to the hillside of the ha-Yahon Park where the ‘From Russia with Love’ Festival is held to participate in the event. For nine years now the Festival has been a long-awaited springtime musical event for the Russian-speaking population of Israel. In keeping with tradition, the concert programme of the Festival is being opened by the country’s Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert.

Each year Baltika Breweries acts as the organiser and financial sponsor of more than 70 events abroad. The Company is also an active participant in more than 20 major professional exhibitions around the world. The Company’s management views participation in exhibitions and in the cultural life of the countries where Baltika products are on sale as an important tool for creating and promoting the Company’s image and brand recognition in foreign markets.

Baltika Breweries has been shipping its products to Israel since the year 2000. The entire line-up of the Baltika brand is sold in the country, as well as Arsenalnoye, Nevskoye and Zhigulevskoye beer. The Company’s products have a kosher certificate and can be bought in both traditional points of sale and in kosher retail networks around Israel.

During Q1 2008, Baltika’s sales in Israel grew by 96% compared to the same period a year earlier. Sales of the Baltika brand grew by 30%, Arsenalnoye beer sales grew 6 times, and Zhigulevskoye grew more than 15 times.

Baltika Breweries is the leader on the Russian beer market and for the sixth year in a row has been named as ‘Best Russian Exporter.’ The Company’s products are exported to 47 countries around the whole world. In 2007, the Company’s sales abroad (including licensed products) grew by 32% compared to 2006. The Company accounts for 70% of all Russian beer exports, all of which underlines Baltika’s status as an international company. At present every eighth bottle of Baltika beer is sold abroad.