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MOSCOW, June 16 About 80% of the alcohol market in Russia is occupied by beer, the category of strong alcohol remains stable, but consumer interest in cognac is growing, said the chairman of the board of directors of one of the largest alcohol companies in the Russian Federation Luding Group Ernest Khachaturyan.
“Our country is characterized by beer and vodka consumption. Beer now accounts for almost 80% of the market. The cognac category in the Russian Federation and Armenia shows a stable increase — by 11% in 2023 to 2022. Vodka sales are stagnating, the annual growth is measured at 1%,” — he said on the sidelines of SPIEF. 
Khachaturyan also noted that consumption of strong alcohol in general showed an increase of 5% in 2023 relative to 2022. The dynamics are more noticeable within the entire category of strong drinks — an outflow from one brand to another, including against the backdrop of the departure of foreign players from the market.
At the same time, speaking about wine, the chairman of the council emphasized that people first need to be introduced and “accustomed” to the basic options, and then broaden their wine horizons, which, among other things, is facilitated by domestic tourism.
«We are used to the fact that there are difficulties, we meet them, get together and move on to solve them. Therefore, there is no other way to survive in our world now. You need to be flexible, you need to be able to adapt, keep your finger on the pulse, be able to rebuild in time and definitely strive for development without stopping at what you have. Therefore, we foresee all this, we predict, we try to ensure that the consumer is satisfied, and we work for this,” Khachaturyan answered the question of revising the company’s portfolio in connection with changes in the market.
The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) was held from June 5 to 8. — information partner of the forum.