Global Spirits

International alcohol holding with Ukrainian roots. The holding structure includes the largest production sites of LVZ Khortitsya and Odessa Brandy Plant, as well as the distribution company GDK. The holding's portfolio includes vodka, cognac and wine brands. Vodka "Hortitsa" is the most famous of them. As of 2022, Global Spirits products are exported to more than 87 countries around the world. The central office, according to the company, is located in New York (USA). In the 31st state of America, it also has its own distribution.

Global Spirits has factories in various countries, including Ukraine. The holding's products are represented almost all over the world. The company is in the top 2 in the world in sales of strong alcohol, second only to Smirnoff.

History

2024: Court nationalizes Global Spirits assets

On June 4, 2024, the Leninsky District Court of Kursk decided to nationalize the Russian assets of the Global Spirits alcohol holding, owned by Ukrainian businessman Yevgeny Chernyak. This was reported by the joint press service of the judicial system of the Kursk region.

The court satisfied the administrative claim of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation on the prohibition of the activities of the association in connection with extremist activities and the circulation of its property to the state. The nationalized assets included the Russian North vodka production plants in Vologda and Rodnik and K in the Moscow region, the Quality Standard, New Level and Traditions of Success distributors, the Feodosia Cognac and Wine Plant, the Crimean Wine House, as well as the offshore company Brand Group Corporation Limited.

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As the Vedomosti newspaper notes, the decision to nationalize assets looks logical, given the companies' connection with a Ukrainian businessman accused of sponsoring terrorism. According to Stanislav Kaufman, owner of the Kaufman brand agency, "in the future, the state will surely sell the capacity to a specialized Russian investor who is interested in developing its production base."

In May 2024, the assets of Global Spirits in Russia were arrested in the case of the Prosecutor General's Office on the forced hospitalization of individuals in a medical organization providing psychiatric care. The court also forbade nominal owners of companies and their real beneficiary to work and engage in entrepreneurial activities in Russia in connection with extremist activities.

According to Vedomosti, the nationalization of the assets of the Global Spirits alcohol holding in Russia was another step in the fight against foreign companies associated with unfriendly countries and persons accused of illegal activities. This court decision will allow to transfer strategically important enterprises under state control and ensure their further development in the interests of the Russian economy.^[1]

2023: Criminal case against the head of the holding Yevgeny Chernyak for financing the armed forces of Ukraine

The Investigation Department of the Central District of Moscow on July 3, 2023 put Yevgeny Chernyak on the wanted list. A criminal case was initiated against him on the financing of terrorism (part 1.1 of article 205.1 of the Russian Criminal Code), he was charged in absentia with financing the armed formations of Ukraine (VFU) in the amount of more than 0.5 billion rubles. Read more here.

2022: Factories in Russia have changed their owner

In early May 2022, a few months after the start of a special military operation, it became known about the change of ownership of alcohol factories producing vodka "Khortitsa," "Morosha" and "Pervak" from the portfolio of Global Spirits holding Ukrainian businessman Yevgeny Chernyak. They passed to a certain Alexander Bespalov, writes Kommersant, citing data from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities. The publication notes that it was not possible to find information about Bespalov. Read more here.

2008: Amalgamation into a Holding Company

Since its inception, the company has acquired its own production. In 2008, production and distribution were merged into a single holding Global Spirits.

1998: Founding of the Company

The history of Global Spirits dates back to 1998 with the founding of a distribution company in Ukraine.

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