Russia will not notice the loss of “Ararat”

On May 18, Armenian Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan, at a meeting of the Armenian Parliamentary Commission on Economic Affairs, announced the termination of deliveries of Yerevan Brandy Factory products to Russia, since such a decision was made by the owner, the French company Pernod Ricard. At the same time, 80% of the company’s products went to the Russian market. According to experts, the disappearance of Armenian products will not be noticeable for Russia because of worthy local alternatives.

Pernod Ricard (brands Absolut, Jameson, Ararat) confirmed in early May that it had stopped delivering products to Russia since the end of April. The company estimates that it may take several months to fully exit the market. More than 80% of the exports of the Yerevan Brandy Factory came from the Russian Federation. “I have not received official information yet, but it seems that it is already official that the Yerevan Brandy Factory will stop exporting to Russia,” Kerobyan said at a meeting held the day before.

Armenian cognac is of undoubted historical significance for the Russian consumer, but its absence from the market will not be particularly noticeable, Vadim Drobiz, director of the Center for Research on the Federal and Regional Alcohol Markets, told Vedomosti.

“Ararat” can be considered a pearl of Soviet production <…> At the same time, 80% of cognac in Russia falls on domestic products, and only 10% of the market is occupied by Armenian products,” he explained.

Cognac, which the plant produced before the change of owners, was closer to the taste of the Russian consumer, with the advent of Pernod Ricard it became drier, “in the French style”, therefore it ceased to be very popular in Russia, – President of the Federation of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers Igor told Vedomosti Bukharov.

He believes that restaurateurs will not feel a shortage of cognac products, since recently Russia has managed to establish the necessary production and achieve high quality products. “Dagestan cognacs are excellent. <…> The departure of foreign suppliers will provide an opportunity to develop our own [производство]”, – said Bukharov. His words are confirmed by Drobiz. In his opinion, good Dagestan cognac “is no different from French.”

The Yerevan Brandy Factory was built in 1953. In 1998, it was privatized and became part of the French company producing and distributing alcoholic beverages Pernod Ricard.