St. Petersburg
breathes the
atmosphere
of times long
The Barrel Family has a firm grip on the beer market in Russia.
Starting from nothing, Botchkarov came, saw and conquered.
Since the beginning of this year Botchkarov - and the other
brands of Bravo International - have formed part of Heineken.
In this issue of The World of Heineken an initial introduction to
Bravo, the Russian beer market and the role that Heineken Beer
plays in that market.
The city centre of St. Petersburg breathes the atmosphere of times
long gone. Winding their way past grandiose, late eighteenth
century buildings and impressive churches are several canals,
which many people find reminiscent of Amsterdam. Not surprising,
as Czar Peter the Great was enchanted by the rings of canals that
grace the heart of Amsterdam and decided to copy the same
layout in 'his' city. At the moment many of the elegant and
historic buildings in St. Petersburg are covered in scaffolding.
In the run-up to the celebration of the city's 300th anniversary
in 2003 many of the monumental premises are undergoing
large-scale restoration work.
By car it is a quarter of an hour's drive before you reach the city
limits. It's a big contrast between the old city centre and its
surrounding area. A broad highway separates countless blocks of
flats, the suburbs of St. Petersburg, on your left from a large
industrial area on your right. A little further on you suddenly see
the brewery of Bravo International. Five years ago, before the
metamorphosis, door frames and window frames were still being
produced in these premises. Today there is an impressive
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