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Stolichnaya vodka breaks its last ties with Russia and changes its name to ‘Stoli’.
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Stoli Group said it was rebranded as “a direct response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine”.
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Its founder, Russian-born billionaire Yuri Shefler, said he has been banned from Russia since 2000.
Stolichnaya vodka gets a new name under the nickname “Stoli”.
The vodka brand, previously marketed as Russian, changed its name as a “direct response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” Stoli Group said in its press release on Friday.
The company’s founder, Russian-born billionaire Yuri Shefler, said the name and association with Russia is no longer representative of the brand.
“Although I have been banned from Russia since 2000 for my opposition to Putin, I have remained proud of the Stolichnaya brand,” Shefler said in the press release. “Today we made the decision to change the brand name completely, as the name no longer represents our organization. Above all, I wish that ‘Stoli’ represents peace in Europe and solidarity with Ukraine.”
Shefler said he was forced to move to Luxembourg because Russian President Vladimir Putin tried to “take control of the brand”. Ownership of the brand has been disputed since the dissolution of the Soviet Union between Shefler’s Stoli Group, based in Latvia, and Sojuzplodoimport, a company owned by the Russian state.
“I have personally experienced persecution by the Putin regime and I share the pain of Ukraine and its people,” Shefler said.
The company’s production facilities are located in Latvia. Stoli Group said last week it would only use Slovak sources to avoid ties with Russia.
Stoli Group’s announcement comes as companies and state officials across the country are calling for a boycott of vodka. While many vodka products are advertised as Russian, only about 1% of vodka in the US actually comes from Russia.
Read the original article on Business Insider
