Stoli resumes U.S. business after a Chapter 11 settlement clears product shipments

Stoli Group said Monday, November 9, that it has resumed business in the United States after completing its Chapter 11 restructuring and reaching a settlement with creditors of its U.S. unit, a move the company said clears the way to restart product shipments and rebuild its distribution network in a key market.

The Luxembourg-based drinks company said the agreement resolves earlier disputes over distribution rights for Stoli Group (USA) and addresses remaining inventory and financial obligations. Stoli did not disclose the financial terms of the settlement or identify the creditors involved.

The company said MHW Ltd. will serve as importer of record as it works with established wholesale partners, including Empire Merchants in New York and Johnson Brothers. Stoli also said it is in talks with additional distributors and plans to provide more updates as those agreements are completed.

Stoli said it already has inventory in a U.S. customs bonded warehouse, which should allow it to begin filling distributor orders as sales resume in participating markets. The company said its immediate goal is to reestablish a steady, long-term presence across the country after the restructuring process.

For the U.S. beverage business, the agreement could have effects beyond one brand’s return to shelves. Untangling distribution rights, unsold stock and payment obligations can reopen access to products in one of the world’s largest spirits markets, reducing uncertainty for wholesalers and retailers and restoring supply in categories such as vodka, tequila, whiskey and rum.

Stoli said its U.S. portfolio will be broader than before. In addition to Stoli vodka and elit vodka, the company said it is adding five products to the U.S. lineup: Moskovskaya vodka, Rooster Rojo tequila, KAH tequila, The Irishman Irish whiskey and Writers’ Tears Irish whiskey. It also said Bayou Rum, which is made in Lacassine, Louisiana, will return with updated liquid, packaging and pricing.

The new lineup suggests the company is trying to widen its appeal in a market where suppliers increasingly rely on a portfolio strategy rather than a single flagship label. For distributors, that can mean more products to place with the same supplier relationship. For Stoli, it may offer a way to regain shelf space and bar placements after a period when its U.S. business was tied up in court-supervised restructuring.

Marina Troyanovskaya, Stoli Group’s chief commercial officer, said in a statement that the company is relying on products already in the country and on long-standing partners that know its brands. She also said commercial and marketing teams are preparing new campaigns in the United States.

Stoli said it is also exploring U.S. production of Stoli flavored vodkas and a new nonalcoholic mixer, Stoli Ginger Beer. Those plans have not been finalized, but they point to an effort to expand local operations and participate in demand for both flavored spirits and alcohol-free or low-alcohol adjacent products.

According to the company, Stoli Group sells its brands in more than 95 countries through a network of more than 170 distributors. Its wider portfolio includes spirits, wines and nonalcoholic beverages. In the United States, however, the immediate test will be whether the company can quickly restore consistent supply and secure enough state and regional distribution agreements to turn its legal and financial reset into renewed sales momentum.