Alcohol company Bacardi added to the list of war sponsors

The National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption has included the Bermudian company Bacardi Limited, which last year imported $169 million worth of goods to Russia, into its list of international war sponsors.

Bacardi Limited is the largest privately held international alcohol company in the world, with its products sold in more than 170 countries. Among the company's famous brands are Baron Otard, D'USSÉ brandy; Bombay gin; Bacardi rum; Cazadores tequila; Gray Goose vodka, Eristoff; whiskey Dewar's, William Lawson's, Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Royal Brackla, Craigellachie, Angel's Envy and other drinks (Martini, St-Germain, Bénédictine).

In total, Bacardi owns more than 200 brands, including its namesake rum, which is the best-selling rum brand in the world.

After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Bacardi announced it would stop exporting to Russia and stop investing in advertising, but this part of the message later disappeared from its official statement. Consequently, the company continued to ship millions of dollars worth of its products to Russia and look for new employees by posting job advertisements.

The exit of a number of leading international brand owners from the Russian alcohol market has reduced competition and created opportunities for those remaining. Thus, taking advantage of the situation, the Russian division of Bacardi Rus imported goods worth $169 million during the year of the full-scale war in Ukraine.

According to data on the website of the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation, Bacardi Rus' revenue in 2022 increased by 8.5%, to 32.6 billion rubles, and net profit - up to 4.7 billion rubles, which is 206.5% more than in 2021 . year (1.5 billion rubles), income tax was paid to the Russian budget for more than $12 million.