Stoli® Group has announced a major rebrand and the end of the use of the Stolichnaya name. In direct response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the vodka will exclusively 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® 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,” Stoli® Group Founder Yuri Shefler says. “Today, we have made the decision to rebrand entirely as the name no longer represents our organization.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. In March it was announced that after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Stoli® would engage exclusively with Slovakian sources to further ensure 100 percent non-Russian alpha grade spirit.

“This is very personal to us,” Stoli® Group Global CEO Damian McKinney says. “As a former Royal Marine Commando, I know all too well the horrors of war. We have employees, partners, and distributors in the region directly impacted. They are asking that we take a bold stand. This is one actionable, meaningful thing we can do to make it clear that we support Ukraine.”     

To further support Ukraine, Stoli® has made a financial commitment to World Central Kitchen (WCK), a non-profit organization that is first to the frontlines, providing meals in response to climate, humanitarian, and community crises. The support will go directly to relief in Ukraine. As the company continues to work with partners in the region, further initiatives to address the humanitarian crisis will be announced.