SPI Group inks UK distribution deal with Cellar Trends

Cellar Trends is to distribute vodka brands Stolichnaya and elit in the UK, after brand owner SPI Group acquired a minority stake in the company.

SPI Group appoints Cellar Trends as UK distributor for Stoli and elit vodka

The deal follows SPI Group subsidiary Amber Beverage Group’s purchase of a “strategic stake” in the UK company in May, as it seeks to increase its international footprint.

Cellar Trends, who distributes the group’s Bayou Rum, will take over distribution of the vodka brands from Maxxium UK, effective 1 January 2018.

In July this year, Cellar Trends also took over all sales, distribution and marketing for Amber Beverage Groups’s Moskovskaya in the UK.

“As our portfolio expanded into new categories, it became important that we consolidated the brands and worked with a single distribution partner,” said Hugues Pietrini, global CEO of Stoli Group.

“We thank Maxxium for all of their efforts in laying a solid foundation for our vodkas in the United Kingdom and look forward to building on it with Cellar Trends, who have a strong track record in building brands in what it is a strategic market for our company’s portfolio.”

Mark Riley, managing director at Maxxium UK added: “This agreement allows us to focus resources on our leading global portfolio of premium spirit brands. Maxxium is the largest supplier of branded whiskies and cognac in the UK and we look forward to working with our trade partners to drive growth in these dynamic categories. We wish Stoli Group and the new Stoli team well for the future.”

Martin Watts, joint managing director at Cellar Trends, said: “These vodka brands bring distinctive credentials to our current spirits offerings – Stoli with its near 80-year heritage, and elit as one of the highest-rated white spirits in the world.”