Absolut Vodka biggest Swedish food export

Absolut Vodka is the largest export in Sweden’s food and drink sector, with sales exceeding 11 million cases in 2013/14, according to the Swedish Food Federation.

The body recently released new data showing that spirits is the largest category in Sweden’s food and drinks exports, which made 70 billion SEK in total last year, and Absolut Vodka is the dominating brand within this.

Made in Åhus, Skåne, Absolut also uses 15% to 20% of all the wheat produced in the region. It was exported to more than 150 markets around the world in 2013/14, reaching sales of almost 100m litres.

“99% of our production is exported. We are proud that our long-term work with quality, innovation, creativity and responsibility has created a major success in exports regarding Swedish vodka traditions”, said Krister Asplund, production director at The Absolut Company, owned by French drinks group Pernod Ricard.

The largest export markets for the brand include the US, travel retail, Germany, Canada and the UK.

Absolut also said that around 6,000 Swedish and foreign visitors attend its production site every year.

Earlier this month, the brand unveiled an updated bottle design, complete with a lighter glass bottle, new logo and medallion design, which strives to “create an icon of the future”.