A 135-Year History of Producing Fine Vodka

Knyagynyn, with a 135-year history, is one of Ukraine’s best-known brand names. The company began as a small manufacturer of alcohol and has steadily expanded over the years to become a thriving producer of top-selling vodka. In 2003, Knyagynyn began to expand its product portfolio significantly and now offers a wide range of vodkas with different flavours and proofs. Tours of the company’s bottling facility have become a popular tourist attraction in Ukraine.

CEO Nina Harakava explains that the state-owned enterprise aims to expand throughout Ukraine and recently opened a new branch in Suma to cover markets in the eastern part of the country. While the government’s recent increase in alcohol prices has cut into Knyagynyn’s sales, the company still has a bright future thanks to its strong reputation for producing superior vodka. She says, “Knyagynyn’s products are known for their high quality. We do not use any kind of chemical additives. We employ different types of berries and plants, including Carpathian balsam, to give our products their special tastes. We have around 30 products in our portfolio and they are so pure that they will not give you a headache in the morning!”

Ready to conquer export markets

Around 80% of Knyagynyn’s products are sold in the Ivano-Frankivsk region with the rest sold in western Ukraine. In August 2013, the company will begin exporting its products to Russia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Nina Harakava is confident that as soon as Knyagynyn’s vodkas appear in the EU and other new markets, demand for them will rise quickly. She says, “Customers in our export markets will taste our vodkas and begin buying them because of their superior quality, especially for the price. We already test our vodkas for seven levels of purity and for export we will add two more levels.”

To continue its growth, Knyagynyn plans to invest in new technologies and equipment and will continue to explore new products and markets. Nina Harakava says, “We are proud of our brand name and of the fact that our products have won many awards over our 135 years of history, which we showcase in our museum. My message to European companies and investors is that we are open to new partnerships and we can guarantee the quality of our products. And to our customers in our new markets, I invite them to try our superior vodkas.”