Czech beer exports to Russia grow despite industry stance

In the last two years, 27 distributors have been exporting Czech beer to Russia, the Czech News Agency reported on Thursday, citing data from the Czech Statistics Office. In 2023, Czechia exported beer worth CZK 728 million to Russia, with breweries accounting for 79%.

By October 2023, beer exports reached CZK 819 million, with breweries contributing CZK 615 million, or three-quarters of the total. However, the Czech Union of Breweries and Maltsters, representing 24 breweries, confirmed its members do not export beer to Russia.

Data shows that Russia was the third-largest market for Czech beer last year, after Germany and Slovakia, with nearly 33,100 tonnes exported. This represents a 27% increase compared to the same period in 2023. According to Russia's RIA Novosti, Germans and Czechs were the leading suppliers of beer to Russia last year.