Beluga Group boosts sales 3.8% to 2.76 mln decaliters in Q1
MOSCOW. April 24 (Interfax) - Beluga Group , formerly known as Synergy, one of Russia's biggest producers of spirits, sold 2.670 million decaliters of goods in Q1 2018, a 3.8% increase on the same period last year when 2.572 million decaliters were sold, the company said.
The growth of sales for imported premium brands, including wine, was 41%, up from 157,000 decaliters in Q1 last year to 221,000 decaliters this year.
The company said that it signed a number of strategic contracts for the exclusive distribution of world-renowned wine brands in Russia including from Piccini, MASI Agricolaand Gerard Bertrand.
Beluga also continued to develop exports. An agreement was signed with Sula Vineyards, the largest Indian local distributor. The group's sales in India grew 185% in Q1 on the back of this.
Beluga Group and Bacardi extended their partnership agreement for five years.
Beluga Group is the leading producer of alcohol goods in Russia and also imports spirits. The company operates six plants. Its brand portfolio includes Beluga super-premium vodka, premium vodka Veda, sub-premium vodka Myagkov, middle price vodka Belenkaya, low-middle vodka Gosudarev Zakaz, brandy Zolotoy Reserv. The company has a 16% market share in Russia.
The company is also the exclusive distributor of William Grant & Sons, (Glenfiddich, Grant's, Clan McGregor, The Balvenie, gin Hendrick's and Irish whisky Tullamore Dew) as well as products from French house of Camus cognac and other brands, including the Latvijas balzams range of herbal liqueurs.
The group boosted sales 6% to 61 billion rubles in 2017, revenue rose 4% to 37.3 billion rubles and EBITDA 13% to 3.625 billion rubles.
Revenues from the alcohol segment (the company also produces food products) rose 4% to 30.393 billion rubles.
Beluga Group shares are traded on the Moscow Exchange , the main beneficiary is company Chairman Alexander Mechetin.