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The Stoli Group has announced a rebranding of the name of its Stolichnaya vodka “in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”
The vodka will now be sold as Stoli, according to a company trying to distance itself from protests against Russian-branded vodka.
Stolichnaya vodka is produced and bottled in Latvia, according to the company’s website. (iStock/iStock)
The company’s product is produced and bottled in Latvia, according to its website.
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The Stoli Group, founded by Yuri Shefler, said its decision to rebrand was dictated by “Shefler’s strident stance towards the Putin regime, the determination of Stoli employees to act, and the desire to accurately represent Stoli’s roots in Latvia.”
“Despite the fact that I have been expelled from Russia since 2000 due to opposition to Putin, I remain proud of the Stolichnaya brand,” Shefler said in a statement.
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine intensified, so did the boycott of vodka. In an effort to support Ukraine, bars, liquor stores and government officials turned their backs on alcohol, and some governors called for all Russian-made products and brands to be removed from store shelves.
Some bar owners even poured vodka on the street.
The Stoli Group posted a statement on its website condemning Russian violence while expressing support for Ukraine. It is also noted that the brand is registered with the US Bureau of Taxation and Trade in Alcohol and Tobacco as a Latvian product.
A piece of carpet with the Stolichnaya logo is tagged with black tape during a press conference at Micky’s nightclub in West Hollywood, California on August 1, 2013. (Reuters/Jonathan Alcorn/Reuters Photos)
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“We unequivocally condemn the military actions in Ukraine and support the Ukrainian people,” the Stoli Group said earlier.
On Friday, Schefler confirmed that the company “has made the decision to completely rebrand as the name no longer represents our organization.”
Shefler said he wanted the company to “represent peace in Europe and solidarity with Ukraine.”
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According to the company, Stoli will work exclusively with Slovak sources to ensure the brand is “100% non-Russian alpha-grade alcohol.”
“It’s very personal for us. As a former Royal Marines commando, I know the horrors of war all too well,” said Damian McKinney, global CEO of the Stoli Group. “We have employees, partners and distributors in the region who have been directly affected. They are asking us to take a bold stand. This is one actionable and meaningful thing we can do to make it clear that we support Ukraine.”
The company also supports World Central Kitchen, a non-profit organization that distributes tens of thousands of hot meals to Ukrainians stuck in the country or fleeing to neighboring countries.