Stolichnaya breaks contract with William Grant USA

William Grant & Sons is to lose its contract to distribute Stolichnaya vodka in the US at the end of the year.

William Grant oversaw the launch of the ‘world’s first salted caramel vodka’, Stoli Salted Karamel

SPI Group, which owns the Stolichnaya brand, has decided not to renew its contract for the importation, distribution and marketing of the vodka in the US when it expires on 31 December 2013.

The move is part of SPI Group’s plans to establish its own importing company in the US, which will begin operations on 1 January 2014.

Val Mendeleev, CEO of the SPI Group, said: “As a Company with strong entrepreneurial spirit, the time has come for us to make our path forward on our own in the US.

“We are therefore delighted to announce that we will be creating our own importing company. We thank William Grant & Sons for their contributions to Stoli, we wish them well on their owned brands, and we look forward to what will be a continuing future of innovation and success for the Stolichnaya brand.”

William Grant & Sons has held the contract with SPI Group since 2009. It oversaw the launch earlier this year of what Stoli claims is the “world’s first salted caramel vodka,” Stoli Salted Karamel.

Simon Hunt, president and managing director of William Grant North America, said the group would now concentrate on building on double-digit growth for its core global brands.

“We wish SPI Group the very best for the future of Stolichnaya,” he added.