Stolichnaya vodka rebrands to Stoli, in response to Russian invasion of Ukraine


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.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
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.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores
-
Trump's China tariffs start after Canada, Mexico pauses
Speed Read The president paused his tariffs on America's closest neighbors after speaking to their leaders, but his import tax on Chinese goods has taken effect
-
Chinese AI chatbot's rise slams US tech stocks
Speed Read The sudden popularity of a new AI chatbot from Chinese startup DeepSeek has sent U.S. tech stocks tumbling
-
US port strike averted with tentative labor deal
Speed Read The strike could have shut down major ports from Texas to Maine