Retailers are removing Russian liquor from shelves. A major Illinois retailer is among them

Several major retailers are boycotting Russian-branded and made products, including vodka, in response to the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Binny’s Beverage Depot, based in Illinois, announced Monday it would be removing Russian products from stores and its website, according to NBC5. Binny’s has about 45 stores in central and northern Illinois

Meanwhile, Kroger announced in a tweet Tuesday it will no longer be selling Russian-produced vodka.

Kroger will also be sending food to Ukrainian refugees through it’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation. Kroger will match all donations to the grant up to $250,000.

Several states, including North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania, have also removed all Russian-produced liquors from state-owned stores.

The move is mostly symbolic, considering only 1.2% of vodka imported to the U.S. is from Russia, according to data from the Distilled Spirits Council.

What brands aren’t Russian?

Many popular vodka brands are produced in the U.S. or other European countries, so stores should have plenty of options. Those include:

• Absolut, made in Sweden
• Svedka, made in Sweden
• Tito’s, made in Austin, Texas
• Ciroc, made inFrance
• Burnett’s Vodka, distilled in Kentucky
• Skky, made in Pekin, Ill.

What about brands with Russian backgrounds or branding?

Although many brands have Russia backgrounds or branding, they may not be Russian products.

Smirnoff was started in Moscow in 1864, but stopped production in Russia in 1914 after vodka production became controlled by the government. Smirnoff has been produced in the U.S. since 1933 and is currently distilled in Illinois.

Stolichnaya, or Stoli, vodka is produced in Latvia.

“As the Founder of SPI Group of companies, I have personally experienced persecution by the Russian authorities and I share the pain of Ukraine and its people,” Yuri Shefler, the brand owner, said in a press release on the company’s website. Shefler and the company were ousted from Russia decades ago.

Want to support Ukrainian liquor brands?

Keep a lookout for these brands at your local stores if you want to purchase Ukranian-made products:

• Khor was started in 1998 in Ukraine, but began selling vodka in the U.S. in 2011.
• Neimhoff has been producing vodka in south-western Ukraine since 1833 and is sold in more than 80 countries.
• Kruto vodka comes from a 300-year old Cossack recipe and can be found using the store locator on its website.

Popular Russian brands you might not see for a while

Russian Standard, Beluga Noble and Zyr are all brands imported from Russia and may be hard to find for the foreseeable future.

This story was originally published March 3, 2022 at 7:00 AM.