The Central and Eastern European brewing industry since 1990

Purpose - This article aims to analyse the strategies of international brewing companies in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) beer market and the development of national beer markets in the region since 1990. Design/methodology/approach - The research is explorative, based on a broad variety of secondary data sources and company interviews. Findings - The findings provide an insight into, the approaches of foreign brewing companies operating in CEE markets. Despite some differences in the initial internationalisation motives, target market choice and market entry modes that reflected the strategic priorities of investing brewers, market-seeking motives, strong brands, marketing intelligence, rapid aggressive internationalization and control over the operations have been the key success factors for Western brewers in CEE. Research limitations/implications - The secondary nature of the research information is a limitation for the validity of the study. Nevertheless, the triangulation of data sources using various secondary data, supported by in-company interviews and authors' insights, has aimed at minimising the research bias. Practical implications - Considering the growth and consolidation in the brewing industry world-wide, brewers in CEE should focus on further mergers and acquisitions, product diversification/upgrading and brand innovation. Originality/value - This paper represents an original attempt to assess the trends in the development of the brewing industry in CEE post-1990. It reflects the impact of international interest on the CEE brewing companies and raises some concerns associated with the preservation of the brewing heritage in the region.