Baltic Export, EU – Baltic States, Lithuania, Markets and Companies, Water

The company expects that the product range enlarged in export markets this year and plans to further expand the portfolio and the network of sales channels will even more strengthen its positions in Poland, which according to the volumes of sales has already become the company‘s greatest export market, as well as in the three Baltic States, where today it is the greatest distributor of alcohol drinks and tobacco.

In Poland, where till the beginning of this year, MV distributed only the Lithuanian vodka and nalewka “Stumbras”, this year MV has started distributing the Russian vodka “Beluga” and “Kalashnikov”, which the company has already been representing in its other markets.

Likewise, this year, MV portfolio in Poland has been renewed with the whiskey “Scottish Leader”, “Bunnahabhain”, “Tobermory” and “Deanston”, rum “Angostura”, “Hine”, cognac “Monnet”, which have been distributed in Lithuania and Latvia since the last quarter of the year 2009.

The company started to represent “Baron d'Arignac” wine in the Polish and Latvian markets, in Poland, they have also complemented the range with “La Terre” and “Bianchi” wines.

In the first quarter of this year, MV has acquired the right to represent in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia the trademark “Aquarel” of the mineral water “Nestle” debuting in these markets. In fact, in Lithuania, they complemented the range of the brands “Perrier”, “Vittel” and “Nalęczowianka” already distributed by MV.

This year, in Lithuania, MV stock of vermouth has been renewed with one of the most famous brands of this category – “Cinzano”, and the category of bitters has been renewed with “Campari”, which occupies the leader‘s positions in Lithuania.

In 2009, MV turnover in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland amounted EUR 189 mln and was only by 4% smaller than in 2008, when it reached EUR 197 mln.

The decrease of consolidated results was mostly influenced by the Lithuanian market, where due to the economic recess the purchasing power of the population was decreasing, moreover, the trade in alcohol was tightened (it was forbidden to trade from 10 pm, except HoReCa), VAT was increased from 18% to 21% and excises were increased by 20%, which encouraged the development of shadow trade in the country.

Meanwhile, the company‘s sales last year in Latvia increased almost 4 times, in Estonia – almost 3 times, in Poland – 14%.

Mineraliniai vandenys (MV) (established in 1992, in Lithuania) is the leader in the wholesale trade in alcohol drinks and tobacco products in the Baltic States. The subsidiaries of the company have been operating in Poland, Latvia and Estonia since 2007. MV distribution network in the Baltic States involves 15,4 thousand of free-market points, 3,1 thousand those of HoReCa and 1,5 thousand those of retail networks. MV has 4 central offices – in Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn and Warsaw as well as warehouses of 35 thousand sq.m in Vilnius. All the company‘s processes – commercial, marketing, financial, logistical, IT – are centrally managed from Vilnius office. In Lithuania, MV represents the brands MV represents the brands „Stumbras“, „Hennessy“, „Moet & Chandon“, ,,Metaxa”, „Russian Standard Vodka“, CLWB („Scottish Leader“, „Angostura“, „Bunnahabhain“, etc.) „Campari“, „Cinzano“, „Red Bull“, „Antinori“, „Baron Philippe de Rothschild“, „Farnese“, „Bianchi“, LGCF, BAT, JTI.