The beer market is one of the fast developing sectors of the national food industry. Beer production is growing at the average annual rate of 13%, and in 2006 exceeded 1.2 million hectoliters.

The Uzbek beer industry is currently represented by 10 large beer brewing factories, a relatively large number of mini-breweries, and bars brewing beer in limited volumes, primarily for clients.

The largest beer producers of Uzbekistan include Inter-Rohat Uzbek-American JV (Kibray brand), Mehnat-Pivo (Patriot), Almalykpivo, Pivzavod No. 1 Uzbek-Czech JV (Pulsar), Raupxon (Yunusabad), Ziyobakhsh Uni Trading Uzbek-German JV (Asia). The joint production capacity of these producers exceeds 2.2 million hectoliters yearly.

Another large beer brewing factory is under construction. The Baltic Beverages Holding and Sarbast Plus plan to launch the production in July 2007. The brewery’s projected production capacity is 1 million hectoliters yearly. It is expected that the launch of the new factory will become a landmark event for the Uzbek beer market. A large new player may seriously affect the sales of the current market leader Inter-Rohat JV, and change the situation in the market in general.

In view of this, the press service of the State Committee of Uzbekistan for Demonopolisation, Support of Competition and Entrepreneurship said the committee would conduct a market research and analyse the competition in the production and sales of beer.