The Brand Collective Secures Exclusive U.S. Rights to Relaunch Żubrówka Vodka

Miami-based The Brand Collective said it is relaunching Żubrówka Vodka in the United States under a new long-term exclusivity agreement with Poland’s Maspex Group, a move the company says is aimed at expanding national distribution and raising the brand’s profile in a market where it believes there is room for growth.

The company announced that Maspex has appointed The Brand Collective as the exclusive U.S. importer and marketer for Żubrówka, a historic Polish vodka brand that the company said is sold in more than 80 countries. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The relaunch centers on two products already in the U.S. market: Żubrówka Bison Grass and Żubrówka Biała. According to the company, Żubrówka Bison Grass is currently distributed in 37 states and is sold in 750ml and 1L bottles. Żubrówka Biała, a clear vodka, is available in 200ml, 750ml, 1L and 1.75L sizes.

The Brand Collective said the U.S. relaunch will focus on broader retail and on-premise distribution, along with efforts to build awareness among bartenders, retailers and consumers. The company is betting that the brand’s long history and distinctive flavor profile can help it stand out in a crowded American vodka market, where large multinational brands dominate shelf space and marketing budgets.

Żubrówka is one of Poland’s best-known spirits brands and traces its roots back nearly 600 years, according to the company. Its name comes from the żubr, or European bison, which is associated with the Białowieża Forest on the border of Poland and Belarus. The brand’s signature expression, Żubrówka Bison Grass, is flavored with an extract made from bison grass harvested in that forest. A blade of the grass is placed by hand in each bottle, the company said.

The flavored vodka is marketed around notes of vanilla and spiced apple, and the company is also promoting its use in a simple cocktail known as the Tatanka, which combines the spirit with apple juice and cinnamon. The other main product in the portfolio, Żubrówka Biała, is positioned as a more traditional vodka. The company said it is distilled seven times using winter rye grain and Polish spring water, and that it is the top-selling vodka in Poland.

Daniel Olech, co-founder and co-chief executive of The Brand Collective, said the company sees a gap between Żubrówka’s global footprint and its relatively limited U.S. presence. In a statement, Olech said the brand already has the scale of a major international label but remains underdeveloped in the American market. He described that as a significant opportunity for the Miami importer.

The company said Żubrówka ranks as the world’s No. 4 vodka brand by volume, citing data from IMPACT Databank and IWSR. That ranking reflects global case sales, not U.S. market share. While the brand has broad international distribution, it has had a much smaller profile in the United States than many of its European rivals.

Maspex, which owns Żubrówka, is one of the largest food and beverage companies in Central and Eastern Europe. It acquired the brand in 2022, returning it to Polish ownership, according to the company. The deal with The Brand Collective gives the Miami firm a high-profile international label as it builds its portfolio in the United States.

The Brand Collective was founded by longtime spirits executives Chuck Chand and Daniel Olech and focuses on importing and developing beverage alcohol brands for the U.S. market. In announcing the relaunch, Olech said Żubrówka fits the company’s strategy of working with brands that have strong heritage and clear identities.

The relaunch comes as imported spirits suppliers continue to look for openings in the United States, one of the world’s largest and most competitive alcohol markets. For Żubrówka, the strategy appears to be built on combining its long Polish history with a more aggressive commercial push in the United States, where the company believes awareness remains well below the brand’s global standing.