Altia
Encyclopedia
Altia Oyj or is a Finnish
state-owned corporation based in Helsinki
, which produces, imports, exports and markets alcoholic beverages. It operates in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia and Latvia. Altia has production plants in Koskenkorva and Rajamäki in Finland, in Tabasalu in Estonia and in Svendborg in Denmark. Altia’s strategy is based on two complementary cornerstones – building own brands and providing a leading Nordic and Baltic service platform for suppliers to develop their business. The largest imported brands are Drostdy-Hof, Two Oceans and Hardys.
The corporation
was formed from the production and import sectors of the old alcohol monopoly
Alko
. Today, Altia is no longer a part of Alko, and Alko itself has only a distribution monopoly.
Altia acquired Scandinavian Beverage Group in 2004. In 2010 Altia acquired a portfolio of wine brands including Chill Out and Blossa Glögg and a portfolio of Swedish and Danish heritage spirits. The spirits portfolio consists of e.g. O. P. Anderson, Skåne Akvavit, Svenska Nubbar, 1-Enkelt Bitter, Explorer, Kronvodka, Lord Calvert Canadian Whisky and Barracuda Rum. The acquisition also included Svendborg bottling facility in Denmark and the logistics centres in Odense, Denmark, and Årsta, Sweden.
The most famous own products of Altia are Koskenkorva and Jaloviina in Finland, Explorer Vodka, Grönstedt's Cognac, Blossa Glögg and Chill Out wines in Sweden, 1 Enkelt in Denmark, Saaremaa Vodka in Estonia and Renault Cognac in Travel Trade. Altia also produces Finlandia Vodka
, which is wholly owned by the U.S.
spirits company, Brown-Forman. The sale of Finlandia to Brown-Forman Corporation is part of a broader privatization program to reduce Finland's government ownership of state-enterprise.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
state-owned corporation based in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, which produces, imports, exports and markets alcoholic beverages. It operates in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia and Latvia. Altia has production plants in Koskenkorva and Rajamäki in Finland, in Tabasalu in Estonia and in Svendborg in Denmark. Altia’s strategy is based on two complementary cornerstones – building own brands and providing a leading Nordic and Baltic service platform for suppliers to develop their business. The largest imported brands are Drostdy-Hof, Two Oceans and Hardys.
The corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
was formed from the production and import sectors of the old alcohol monopoly
Alcohol monopoly
An alcohol monopoly is a government monopoly on manufacturing and/or retailing of some or all alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine and spirits. It can be used as an alternative for total prohibition...
Alko
Alko
Alko is the national alcoholic beverage retailing monopoly in Finland. It is the only store in the country which retails beer over 4.7% ABV, wine and spirits. Alcoholic beverages are also sold in licensed restaurants and bars but only for consumption on the premises...
. Today, Altia is no longer a part of Alko, and Alko itself has only a distribution monopoly.
Altia acquired Scandinavian Beverage Group in 2004. In 2010 Altia acquired a portfolio of wine brands including Chill Out and Blossa Glögg and a portfolio of Swedish and Danish heritage spirits. The spirits portfolio consists of e.g. O. P. Anderson, Skåne Akvavit, Svenska Nubbar, 1-Enkelt Bitter, Explorer, Kronvodka, Lord Calvert Canadian Whisky and Barracuda Rum. The acquisition also included Svendborg bottling facility in Denmark and the logistics centres in Odense, Denmark, and Årsta, Sweden.
The most famous own products of Altia are Koskenkorva and Jaloviina in Finland, Explorer Vodka, Grönstedt's Cognac, Blossa Glögg and Chill Out wines in Sweden, 1 Enkelt in Denmark, Saaremaa Vodka in Estonia and Renault Cognac in Travel Trade. Altia also produces Finlandia Vodka
Finlandia Vodka
Finlandia Vodka is produced from Finnish-grown six-row barley and pure glacier water.The barley is distilled into a grain spirit using a continuous multi-pressure distillation system at Altia Corporation's distillery in Finnish village of Koskenkorva...
, which is wholly owned by the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
spirits company, Brown-Forman. The sale of Finlandia to Brown-Forman Corporation is part of a broader privatization program to reduce Finland's government ownership of state-enterprise.