Just call it Stoli vodka.
The Stoli Group announced last week that it was doing a “major rebrand” and ending “the use of the Stolichnaya name” because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The brand’s founder, Yuri Shefler, said the factors behind the decision include his “vehement position” on the regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin and “the desire to accurately represent Stoli’s roots in Latvia.”
“While I have been exiled from Russia since 2000 due to my opposition to Putin, I have remained proud of the Stolichnaya brand,” Shefler said in a statement, adding the name no longer represents the organization. “More than anything, I wish for ‘Stoli’ to represent peace in Europe and solidarity with Ukraine.”
Amid the invasion, businesses have been pulling Russian vodka brands from store shelves and some bars have been pouring out the liquor.
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Only 1.2% of U.S. vodka imports come from Russia, according to data from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States for the first half of 2021. Vodka is the only spirit listed as a Russian import in the report.
The connection between Russia and vodka runs deep. The clear liquor distilled from grains gets its name from the Russian word “voda,” which means water, and has long been associated with the Slavic country.
The most popular vodkas in the U.S. – including Smirnoff, Ciroc, Tito’s, Absolut, Svedka, Grey Goose, SKYY and New Amsterdam –are not made in Russia but are made in Sweden, France, the U.K. and the U.S.
Stoli Vodka’s production facilities have been located in Latvia since Shefler was exiled, the company said. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Stoli said it would engage exclusively with “Slovakian sources to further ensure 100% non-Russian alpha grade spirit.”
Stoli Group Global CEO Damian McKinney said the company’s employees, partners and distributors are asking the brand to take a stand.
“This is one actionable, meaningful thing we can do to make it clear that we support Ukraine,” McKinney said in a statement.
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Contributing: Claire Thornton, USA TODAY
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