November 05, 2023

A Brewer's Betrayal


A Brewer's Betrayal
Carlsberg lager. Unsplash.

Following the release of its quarterly report, Jacob Orup-Andersen, the newly appointed CEO of Danish multinational brewing corporation Carlsberg, affirmed the company's stance against asset seizure in Russia. This announcement was reported by Reuters.

"It is impossible to bypass the fact that they [the Russian authorities] stole our business in Russia, and we are not going to help them give it a legalized look," said Orup-Andersen. “We are not going to make a deal with the Russian government, which somehow justifies the illegal seizure of our business.”

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Carlsberg, as numerous other Western enterprises, chose to exit the Russian market. In June 2022, the Danish conglomerate disclosed it had found a buyer for its Russian operations. But the situation took a significant turn in July, when President Vladimir Putin implemented the nationalization of Carlsberg's stake in the Baltika brewing company.

In October 2023, Carlsberg officially declared the revocation of licenses previously granted to Baltika for the production and distribution of a wide array of Carlsberg brands, including iconic names such as Tuborg, Kronenbourg, and Holsten.

Orup-Andersen continued, "When these licenses expire, they will no longer be allowed to manufacture any of our products. Of course, I can't guarantee that this will happen, but we expect it.”

On October 20, Baltika successfully secured interim legal measures against Carlsberg through a court ruling. The court, in response to Baltika's petition, issued an injunction, restraining Rospatent from registering the termination of licenses for the prominent brands, which encompass Tuborg, Kronenbourg, Seth & Riley's Garage, Holsten, and LAV.

In response to Orup-Andersen's remarks, the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation said that the brewing entity Baltika is not under state ownership. It asserted that an administration of temporary management has been enacted, but that this move does not signify any alteration in the ownership framework. Furthermore, the Ministry of Finance underlined that the decision to implement temporary management at Baltika is in accordance with Russian law.

You Might Also Like

Hoppy Endings
  • August 30, 2023

Hoppy Endings

Heineken has completed its withdrawal from Russia, settling its operations for €1.
The Booze Must Flow
  • November 15, 2022

The Booze Must Flow

Russians hankering for foreign alcohol can now rest easy: state ministries will oversee the delivery of international alcohol products through a parallel import system.
A Debilitating Drought
  • July 30, 2022

A Debilitating Drought

Following the Ukrainian invasion, Russian bars and restaurants are expecting to face foreign liquor shortages. 
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
Marooned in Moscow

Marooned in Moscow

This gripping autobiography plays out against the backdrop of Russia's bloody Civil War, and was one of the first Western eyewitness accounts of life in post-revolutionary Russia. Marooned in Moscow provides a fascinating account of one woman's entry into war-torn Russia in early 1920, first-person impressions of many in the top Soviet leadership, and accounts of the author's increasingly dangerous work as a journalist and spy, to say nothing of her work on behalf of prisoners, her two arrests, and her eventual ten-month-long imprisonment, including in the infamous Lubyanka prison. It is a veritable encyclopedia of life in Russia in the early 1920s.
Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.
Turgenev Bilingual

Turgenev Bilingual

A sampling of Ivan Turgenev's masterful short stories, plays, novellas and novels. Bilingual, with English and accented Russian texts running side by side on adjoining pages.
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955