In a direct response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Stoli Group said it would discontinue use of the Stolichnaya name. Hence forth, the vodka will be sold and marketed as Stoli.
The three driving factors behind the decision are the founder’s vehement position on the Putin regime; the Stoli employees determination to take action; 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,” commented Yuri Shefler, founder, Stoli Group. “Today, we have made the decision to rebrand entirely as the name no longer represents our organization. More than anything, I wish for ‘Stoli’ to represent peace in Europe and solidarity with Ukraine.”
Since Shefler was exiled, Stoli Vodka’s production facilities have been located in Latvia where blending, charcoal column filtration, bottling, packaging and distribution are handled. Earlier this week it was announced that after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Stoli would engage exclusively with Slovakian sources to further ensure 100% non-Russian alpha grade spirit.