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Amber Beverage Group is building vigorous global brands, becoming a major player in the spirits industry. We look at the new trends in the alcohol beverage industry and how Amber Beverage Group can become a bellwether globally? The alcohol beverage industry has proved its resilience throughout the global pandemic. Bloomberg describes the industry as, “one thing Covid cannot stop”. Studies suggested that even though travel bans, lockdowns, bar, and restaurant closures had suppressed the overall growth from 2020-2021, the alcohol industry has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, and off-premise sales of alcohol have soared.
Amber Beverage Group (ABG) in its present form was established eight years ago in the Baltic States. It has grown into a global player in the alcoholic beverages industry from an original core production business that was started in 1900. Its portfolio spans categories from vodka and sparkling wines to Mexican Tequilas and Irish Whiskeys, with over 2000 employees in 20 subsidiaries. As a corporate, it is a firm believer in its mantra based on the word AMBER: “Ambitious Minds Bring Excellent Results”. It has proved its capability by achieving the challenge of moving towards becoming one of the Top 10 spirits industry players globally.
Smart and innovative business decisions are rarely conducted by one person. ABG has a rich culture of handing drawing on an array of talented personnel to achieve great outcomes. The CEO of Amber Beverage Group, Jekaterina Stuģe, says: “We are encouraging our talented people to provide and submit new ideas each day, to be open and not to be afraid to share any ideas, and this approach has improved our business. I believe that a strong corporate brand can only be created by a strong team.”
In this ever-evolving and challenging industry, adopting bold yet sound business decisions makes ABG a pioneer and reflects its dedication to pursuing excellence. The company is growing organically but also by acquisition to fill market gaps in its portfolio. Recently, ABG acquired Walsh Whiskey, a company that owns two super-premium brands, The Irishman® and Writers’ Tears® Whiskey. This represents the Group’s first entry into the fast-growing Irish Whiskey sector – a category that it targeted because it has outperformed other spirits categories, with category sales growth of +140% in the decade 2010 to 2020.
Another remarkable example that emerged from ABG’s commitment to high-quality production is its oldest and most experienced production facility – Amber Latvijas balzams. Its CEO, Intars Geidāns, said: “This facility has grown into a company with more than 100 brands and several significant private label customers. This all demonstrates our strengths and capabilities to deliver high-quality products.”
Amber Beverage Group is also ambitious in its aims to move towards a more sustainable approach for the future. Jekaterina Stuģe affirms that ABG is a powerful and experienced business partner with the drive and ambition to continue its success. She says: “ABG is dynamic and growing rapidly. We have amazing people who are passionate about their work. We all believe in our strategy and are confident of achieving our mission of becoming a Top 10 player in this industry.”