The new owner

The representative of the Eastern European distribution company (VEDK) told RBC on the change of ownership: 100% new owner will VEDK Andrei Markov, the former head of state-owned units "Rosspirtprom" on the implementation of the alcohol. The transaction amount was not disclosed, it may be closed before the end of 2015.

Seller name was not disclosed. The company created in 2009, the former co-owner "Metalloinvest", billionaire Vasily Anisimov (43 th place ranking in Forbes with a fortune of $ 2 billion). Later, the businessman said that he had sold his alcoholic assets (he also owned 11 distilleries, including Moscow "Crystal") is now serving a sentence for attempted fraud Alexander Sabadash. However, a source in the RBC VEDK claimed in October 2015, that Anisimov still "actively participates" in the distributor. "I am in this company [VEDK] no" - he insisted Anisimov on Wednesday, 9 December. According to SPARC, "VEDK" LLC belongs to the Cyprus Gormistar Management Ltd.

To phone to Markov failed.

VEDK began to work as an exclusivepartner "Rosspirtprom." In 2010, CEO VEDK Vadim Kasyanov told RBC that is seriously considering an option of redemption by half "Rosspirtprom" shares, but the deal never took place. Kasyanov then also talked about Anisimov as the main proprietor, stressing that he "invests significant funds in the business."

In 2011, the distribution portfolio VEDK added one of the most successful Russian vodka brands - "Putinka". Now, according to a study by RBC brand "Putinka" owned structures Arkady Rotenberg.

Anisimov has repeatedly admitted that he is friends with Rotenberg: they are, according to "Vedomosti", neighbor houses in the suburban Akulinin; Anisimov is headed by the Russian Judo Federation and Rotenberg - the general director of the sports club of judo "Yawara-Neva" (honorary club president - Vladimir Putin). Rothenberg himself in 2010 told "Kommersant" that talked with Anisimov on participation in business VEDK, however, without much specificity. "Just friends, so conduct any conversations" - Rotenberg explained.
Now VEDK owns 100% of the company "Comedy" and "PLP-Systems", which in turn are owned by 51% in the Astrakhan Distillery Distillery and Smolensk "Bacchus" - two of the 11 plants, Anisimov repurchased in 2009. According to Rosstat, the share of these plants on the market is almost invisible - in January-August of 2015, they collectively issued 101.3 thousand decalitres of vodka, or 0.26% of total Russian production.. Consolidated revenues of the two distilleries in 2014 amounted to 405 million rubles.

Back in July 2015 of VEDK was the sixth largest wholesaler of vodka in Russia, according to Nielsen, it took 4.7% of the market. But now the distribution business in VEDK, in fact, gone. In November it became known that VEDK transferred its entire portfolio of vodkas another distribution company - "status groups", which market participants are also linked to Anisimov, businessman denies any involvement.

VEDK leave management: financial director Dmitry Denikin and Head of Sales Sergey Popov went to work in the "status groups" brand director, creator of "Putinka" Stanislav Kaufman told RBC that will also soon onyavit about the new job.

Markov, until 2010 headed the Voronezh company "Direct Holding" businessman Valery Yakovlev - Russia's largest producer and seller of alcohol, SPARK data show. Markov then went to work in the company "United distilleries" - a joint venture between Yakovlev and "Rosspirtprom", and after already worked only on the state company - supervised alcohol sales from all its plants.

Place VEDK the vodka market

666 million liters of vodka was produced in Russia in 2014

18 billion rubles. VEDK achieved revenues in 2014

4.7% equal share VEDK the Russian vodka market

In 2003 it was launched "Putinka" vodka production

8-10 rubles. receives from each bottle sold "Putinka" brand owner - the company "Real-Invest"

About 30 million bottles "Putinka" Russians bought 0.5 liters in 2014

8 brands are now in the portfolio VEDK

In the 50 th. Russian shops represented vodka VEDK

4th place occupied vodka "Putinka" in terms of sales in Russiain July 2015

Source: Nielsen, company data, Rosstat, RBC calculations

"Industry reorientation"

"The company's activities [VEDK] will be shifted to other segments of the consumer market, - Markov passed through his representative. - The company is waiting for a serious reorientation of the industry. We intend to actively use all the tried and tested over the years the core competencies in the field of distribution team. The business model, which is interesting to me - is the growing markets with import potential. According to my estimates, VEDK opportunity today is much more effective use in other product categories. " About which the goods in question did not specify the interlocutors RBC.

VEDK CEO Oleg Ryabov said that he does not know what will sell in the future: according to him, the new owner of the managers have not yet met. "While we are engaged in sale of cash balances, we collect accounts receivable", - he said.

In theory, go on sale of other goods FMCG category will not be difficult, Ryabov said: "In terms of work distributsionnoy car there is no problem. Customers will be the same - network retail, communications which are built. Only buyers will be others. But anyway - people work for many years, know each other well. It would be difficult to household appliances - it has its own specifics. " According VEDK general director, the company's products are now represented in the 45-50 thousand. Outlets throughout Russia.

Interviewees RBC managers of large vodka companies doubt of success. "Mark never in my life nothing but alcohol is not sold," - said one of them. The second insists that it is "the end of": "After all the contracts with the brand holder is transferred to another company, VEDK, in fact, there was nothing left - only debts and the shell. Just with such a high workload in accounts immediately liquidate the company is not possible. "

According to SPARC, at the end of 2014 VEDK payables amounted to 9.5 billion rubles., In the database has information for the six loans with the performance of obligations by June 2016, the largest mortgagees named OFC Bank and Sberbank. Comments in this Bank receivedit was not possible.