Russian Standard Corporation has completed its acquisition of Central European Distribution Corporation (CEDC), adding more than a dozen brands to its portfolio and making Russian Standard the second-largest vodka producer by volume in the world. The consolidated company has significant scale and breadth on a global basis, with over 34 million nine-litre cases of products sold annually.
Russian Standard is also now one of the world’s leading integrated spirits beverage and sparkling wine businesses with distilleries, production facilities and distribution centres spanning Russia, Poland, Hungary and Italy.
Russian Standard’s new brands include Russia’s Green Mark, Parliament and Zhuravli, as well as Poland’s Żubrówka, Absolwent and Soplica – all considered domestic market leaders in their price segments. These vodka brands are said to complement Russian Standard Vodka, the company’s flagship premium brand.
“We now have the most authentic and beloved vodka brands in the most important vodka homelands – Poland and Russia,” said Russian Standard Founder and Chairman Roustam Tariko. “As the vodka category continues its global growth, our diverse portfolio will be able to satisfy the taste of consumers around the world, from price-conscious to premium.”
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The CEDC acquisition will add over a dozen brands to the Russian Standard portfolio (above), which includes Italian sparkling wine Gancia |
Building on its global production and distribution platform with sales in over 75 countries, Russian Standard plans to significantly increase the export of its newly acquired brands, capitalising on rising consumer demand for authentic spirits. At the same time, Russian Standard believes it will benefit and learn from strong brands acquired in Poland, one of the world’s most historic vodka markets.
“With this acquisition we have fully invested in CEDC’s brands, in their history and in the people who make them,” Tariko continued. “As we move forward, we expect to have many opportunities together. We have greater potential as one company, with complementary brands, segments, import portfolios and export markets.”
The acquisition, which was completed through one of Russian Standard’s affiliates, Roust Trading Ltd, also expands Russian Standard’s footprint as a leading importer of alcoholic beverages. In Russia, Poland and Hungary, the company represents many of the well-known spirits brands, such as Rémy Martin, Jägermeister, Grant’s, Campari, Cinzano, Jim Beam, E&J Gallo, Carlo Rossi and Concha y Toro.
The Russian Standard portfolio also includes Italian sparkling wine Gancia, in which the company acquired a majority stake in 2011.
