The production of cognac distillate in Russia fell by 58%
The production of cognac distillate in Russia according to the results of January – April 2025 showed a fall by 58%, gave to 1.28 million, the release of cognac itself during this period decreased by 22%, and gave to 1.96 million. Alcoholic companies reduce the spill of such products due to a decrease in sales after the growth of minimal retail prices by about 17%, accumulated drains and anti-alcohol campaigns of the authorities of some regions. Experts do not expect a fracture of trends in the medium term, including due to the fact that consumers will continue to switch to low alcohol drinks.
The production of cognac distillate in Russia in January -April of 2025 fell by 58% of the year, up to 1.28 million decalits (DAL), follows from the disposal of “Kommersant” data participants in the alcohol market. The distillates acts as a raw material for the release of cognac, the production of which has also been reduced over the same period – by 22% year, to 1.96 million gave.
According to the market participants, the most pronounced fall in the release of cognac among the top 10 industry companies was observed by four months of this year in the “Usovsky Vinno-Conyan Celles”-by 55%of the year, up to 98 thousand, by “Alvis”-by 27%, up to 334 thousand gave, at the Alliance-1892 wine-condyle factory-by 19%, to 19%, to 19%, to 19%, before 19%, to 19%, before 19%. 360 thousand gave. The growth in January -April showed only a few companies, including Tatspirtprom (an increase of 17%, up to 63 thousand gave) and the Crimean vodka company (an increase of 12%, to 238 thousand gave).
The decrease in production is partly due to the accumulated effluents, as the manufacturers significantly increased the spill before increasing excise taxes, says the commercial director of Stellar Group (Old Barrel, Steersman, Veda) Alexander Grevtsov. Since the beginning of 2025, the tax rate on ethyl alcohol has grown by almost 15%, to 740 rubles. for 1 l. In addition, Mr. Grevtsov continues, the strengthening of measures was affected by a partial restriction of alcohol sales in a number of regions, which led to a noticeable reduction in sales. From March 1, 2025, in some constituent entities of the Russian Federation, the authorities introduced additional restrictions on alcohol trade in retail (See “Kommersant” from April 3).
Despite the fact that most cognacs sold in Russia are produced by local companies, they are poured mainly from imported distillates, Alexander Grevtsov states.
According to him, the largest supplier of such products is Armenia. According to the President of the Alcopro Guild Andrei of Moscow, about 80% of the raw materials used in Russia are imported from abroad, mainly from the EAEU countries, with which mutual preferences in trade are in effect. Such imported products come out on average cheaper than Russian, the expert explains. In addition, adds Andrei Moskovsky, in Russia now there are practically no opportunities for the production of more cognac distillates to replace imports.
According to the participants in the alcoholic market for January -April of 2025, the share of cognac brands of Russian -made in the structure of sales is 64.56%, the second place in Armenia (21.57%), the third is in Georgia (11.18%).
The Director General of the Winagoria winery (brands Hors d’Age, Sanctum, Fanagoria Grand) Pyotr Romanishin confirms the decrease in cognac sales from the company for the current year by about 10% of the year by the year. He connects such a fall with an increase in the minimum retail price (MRC) on strong alcohol. The decrease in retail sales of cognac in the first quarter of 2025 is associated with the growth of the MRC, the brand director of the portfolio of strong alcohol Luding Group (brands “Ararat”, “half-ward”, “Tchaikovsky”) Alexander Afonin agrees. From January 1, 2025, the MRC for Brandy increased by 17.12%, to 472 rubles. per 0.5 l, cognac – by 17.09%, up to 651 rubles.
Moreover, the rate of falling sales in the category of cognac and brandy on average than by vodka, notes the president of Ladoga (the distributor of the French cognacs Roullet, Favraud, Hardy) Benjamin Grabar.
According to him, a trend is now marked on the market, when consumers for the sake of economy began to buy strong alcohol in small liters and, for example, instead of cognac, choose rum and whiskey. This is confirmed by the data of the Nielsen analytical company, in the first quarter of 2025, the natural sales of rum in Russian retail increased by 17.5%year by the year, whiskey – by 7.8%, while cognac sales decreased by 4%, and brandy – by 10.9%.
Among other reasons, Peter Romanishin distinguishes the overall long -term trend of the younger generation transition to a healthy lifestyle and refusal to drink alcohol or transition to less strong products, for example, beer drinks or cords. In this regard, it does not exclude the likelihood of a further fall in the category. “The cognac production market is likely to grow,” agrees Alexander Grevtsov. The expert predicts a slight decrease in the medium term in a more massive segment of low -price cognacs, while sales of medium -sized products will remain slow growth. Nevertheless, not all experts are of this opinion. Alexander Afonin expects the restoration of sales and production of cognacs as soon as consumers get used to new prices.
