Nordic alcoholic drinks producer Anora Group has developed a commercial arm in Lithuania to expand further in the Baltics region.
The unit, expected to be up and running in the first half of 2025, will manage the sales and marketing of a selection of Anora brands.
These include Koskenkorva vodka, the wine brands Il Capalovero and Chill Out, “alongside strong global spirits partner brands and renowned international partner wines”.
The company could not confirm which partner spirits and wine brands the Lithuania division would manage.
Since 2019, Anora has worked with a third-party distributor in Lithuania to market and sell its drinks.
“Establishing our presence in Lithuania is a crucial step towards achieving our growth ambitions and our commitment to delivering high-quality wine and spirits to our regional markets beyond the Nordics,” Kirsi Puntila, the SVP for Anora’s spirits division, said.
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By GlobalData“Anora Lithuania builds on our successful Baltic operations in Estonia and Latvia and will feature a local team with deep expertise in the Lithuanian market. We are excited to serve our Lithuanian customers directly and anticipate a bright future in this vibrant, open market.”
When asked why Anora had decided to create a unit in Lithuania, the company told Just Drinks the country was the largest in the Baltic region and “offers growth potential”.
Having an office in the country allows Anora to “serve Lithuanian customers directly with a dedicated, local team with extensive knowledge of the market”, it added.
The commercial unit will employ around ten people in a mixture of commercial and business support positions. They will be assisted by Anora’s employees based in Estonia and Latvia.
The move follows a profit warning issued by Anora in October after feeling pressure on sales.
It expects comparable EBITDA for the full year 2024 to reach €65m-70m ($68.1m-$73.3m), down from its previous forecast of €75m-85m.
Anora’s comparable EBITDA for its 2023 financial year hit €68m. In 2022, the group booked comparable EBITDA of €76.1m.
Anora CEO Jacek Pastuszka also announced plans to leave the business days after the profit warning.
Asked at the time by Just Drinks if Pastuszka is to retire from work and if his departure was linked to Anora’s recent performance, a spokesperson said: “He said he will retire completely.”
The company’s CFO Sigmund Toth also resigned in January following news of a profit warning in December 2023.
