Say goodbye to Stolichnaya and hello to Stoli.
The Stoli Group announced that "in direct response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine," it is rebranding its Stolichnaya vodka, which has long been marketed as a Russian liquor. Now, the spirit will be sold as Stoli.
Yuri Shefler, founder of the Stoli Group, said in a statement that he has been exiled from Russia since 2000 because of his opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I have remained proud of the Stolichnaya brand," Shefler stated, but is changing the name because of his "vehement position on the Putin regime; the Stoli employees determination to take action; and the desire to accurately represent Stoli's roots in Latvia." The vodka has been manufactured and bottled in Latvia for several years.
Since the invasion of Ukraine, there have been calls to boycott Russian products, and some bars in the United States have said they won't serve Russian liquor, going so far to pour vodka out in the street in protest. Stoli Group said it will work with Slovakian sources to ensure Stoli is "100 percent non-Russian alpha grade spirit," Fox News reports, and continue to donate money to World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit serving hot meals to Ukrainian refugees.