Saranskiy Distillery brings Russia’s 1st certified organic vodka to travel retail
2018 was a case of being in the right place at the right time for the launch of first certified organic vodkas produced in Russia. Saranskiy distillery presented organic vodkas as a new category and expanded the presence of its Chisti Rosi and organic vodkas in several important European and Asian hubs.
A spokesperson for Saranskiy Distillery, explains: “There is a rising interest in certified organic products and travel retail is a top choice communication channel when you want to get in touch with the most active consumers.”
The company is coming off a successful year looking to expand this organic vodka category. The focus is to highlight Chisti Rosi, a vodka whose name means pure morning dew, and Spelta organic vodkas in travel retail. Listings include London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Tel Aviv, Dubai, Istanbul, Hong Kong and Singapore.
“The major challenge is to present the category that is not articulated in travel retail yet. There is a lot of misunderstanding of what is organic, so a lot of things can be done in this field. That is exciting,” says the spokesperson.
The spokesperson’s enthusiasm is fueled by the excitement generated by Russia hosting the 2018 football World Cup. Millions from around the world gathered in 11 cities across the country to enjoy the game and to understand the culture, language and traditions Russia has to offer.
“As far as Russia is concerned, it’s almost impossible to pass on vodka drink if you are of appropriate age. The city of Saransk which hosted several important games, well known for its hospitality and top quality malted vodkas,” the spokesperson explains.
The football tournament was a great timing to highlight Chisti Rosi, and as a result, sales have strengthened in the last 12 months. The World Cup allowed for sample showcasing of the organic vodka, resulting in listings across all of Russia’s major international airports, mainly in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Kazan, Ekaterinburg, Rostov-on-Don and Saransk.
The three kinds of organic vodkas available in travel retail are Chisti Rosi, distilled from single vintage malted wheat (retailing at €40 for one liter); Chisti Rosi, distilled from single vintage malted rye (€22 for 50cl); and high-end vodka Spelta, distilled from single vintage malted spelt (€85 for 70cl). All the grains come from a single estate grown by a local organic farmer. The top seller in travel retail continues to be Chisti Rosi.
Organic products come with a certain provenance as raw materials must have a specific origin and production have to be certified. The term organic according to EU and US authorities cannot be used loosely as the product has to meet certain standards. The firm looks forward to sharing more stories with travelers in a time to come.
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