August 30, 2023

Hoppy Endings


Hoppy Endings
A neon Heineken sign. Smit Patel, Unsplash.

It has been a long time brewing, but the Dutch multinational Heineken has finalized its withdrawal from the Russian market by selling off its operations in the country for €1 ($1.08), following the Kremlin’s rigid rules imposed in retaliation to Western sanctions.

In March 2022, Heineken declared its intention to exit the Russian market, reporting that profits were “no longer sustainable nor viable in the current environment.” The company, however, emphasized its commitment to effect a systematic handover to a prospective new owner.

New regulations from Russia's Finance Ministry for asset sales have hindered Western firms. The process is labyrinthine and lasts 6 to 12 months.

The Dutch company faced criticism for its seemingly unrushed approach, however. After more than a year, Heineken announced that they would sell all Russian assets to Arnest Group, Russia’s largest manufacturers of cosmetics, household goods, and aerosol products. As part of the deal, Arnest Group has agreed to oversee Heineken’s local staff’s employment for three years to ensure the livelihoods of 1,800 employees.

Heineken's press service emphasized that the company will neither endorse these brands nor receive any financial gains, including income, royalties, or dividends, from its operations in Russia. In a not-so-hoppy ending, Heineken anticipates a cumulative loss of €300 million ($324 million).

You Might Also Like

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 Soviet Callback
  • August 09, 2022

A Soviet Callback

Moscow and St. Petersburg will see new shops filled with international goods where only top officials and their families can shop.
Tipple Tender Trending
  • February 07, 2022

Tipple Tender Trending

The minimum price of vodka, set by Russia's Ministry of Finance, has been raised. Barely.
A Premature Celebration
  • December 06, 2021

A Premature Celebration

A Krasnodar man, sentenced to serve time for theft, marked his release by doing what he does best.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

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.

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

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.

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