Brest Distillery Company BELALCO was founded in 1897 - thus the company has been existing for more than 110 years on the market. Nowadays the company is one of the biggest liqueur and spirits producer in Belarus.
During the 110 years each period was very important, as each year, each month, each change is a step forward to success and to the level which the company has achieved by now.
Development of the Company
The history of Belalco began on April 1, 1987, when Brest State Wines Warehouse No. 4 was founded with the annual production output of 107 thousand decaliters. Coal steam-boiler installation allowed the factory to increase alcohol output by one third and improved vodka quality and working efficiency as compared with other factories. At that time vehicle sheds and platforms were built connecting to warehouse to make operation processes smooth. Those days 60 employees, including salespeople, worked together at the factory. During World War I and severe economic crisis the warehouse was collapsed. However, in 1928 the factory was reconstructed and started its operation again. At that time the factory got its official name Brest Distillery. By year 1937 The Brest Distillery delivered its production to 25 sales points of Polessie, Belostok, Lublin, Novogrudok and Volyn provinces. It produced and bottled vodka as well as alcohol for medical purposes. The Distillery personnel consisted of 33 administration and trade workers, 3 masters and 78 workers. The period between 1946 and 1976 years was the time of unique technologies implementation based on ancient traditions of folk medicine, Belarus antique recipes using rare herbs of Belovezhskaya Pushcha (Belovezha virgin forest) and strict conformity with international standards. The years starting from 1977 till now is the time of prosperity for the Brest Distillery Company. Product quality meets severe requirements of consumers and has no equal among similar Distilleries of the former Soviet Union. Currently the annual output of the company is more than 1,5 mn decalitres, part of which are exported to more than 20 countries of the world. The factory is the only Belarussian company which has been exporting its products for more than 30 years by now.
What helped the company win the clients’ trust and loyalty?
According to the company, each worker of the company realizes the tasks he or she has to perform. The loyal attitude towards the work and the plant of around 500 workers, with 330 of them working at the head company, for sure defines the quality of the company and makes the company trustworthy. For the most workers the Brest Distillery BELALCO was the first and the only employer for their whole life. Of course, no less important is unique water, high-quality „Lux” spirits, the most up-to-date technology and special atmosphere of the plant, which help create the products, appreciated by Belarussian and foreign consumers. Therefore, the Brest Distillery beverages, tinctures, spirits, balsams and brandies won its share of the market and meet the requirements of the most demanding consumers.
Product range
The product portfolio of Belalco includes around 70 items of different products, among them are 40 types of vodka, bitter and sweet tinctures and balsams. The company bottles cognacs and is an importer of cognacs and whiskeys. The company owns 2 Distillery plants which fully meet the demand for spirit with its spirit „Lux”. The company plans include transition to continuous production and improvement of physical, chemical and organoleptic qualities of the spirit, and therefore of the finished products. On-going improvement and re-equipment of production help offer products of better quality, in new bottles. There are a lot of well-known brands produced by Belalco. For example, vodka „Belarus Sineokaya” has been popular for more than 20 years - which is quite a long period for such a product as vodka. „Berezovaya” (birch-tree vodka) won the title of „Vodka No. 1 in Belarus” for 4 times. There are other vodkas like „Klenovaya” (maple-tree), „Grushevaya” (pear-tree), „Vinogradnaya” (grapevine), „Lipovaya” (linden-tree) which contain maple syrup, birch, pear and grapevine juices as well as fragrant spirits of linden-tree flowers. „Pervach” vodka is the strongest Belarussian vodka - with 56% vol., still it has quite soft taste. One of the most popular vodkas is quite a new product to Belarussian market - the series of vodkas called „Narkomovskaya Norma”. The bottom of „Narkomovskaya Norma” bottle reminds well-known to older generation table-glass. This series is only three years old, still the product is appreciated not only by Belarussians, but also abroad. Now this kind of vodka is sold to three other export markets. Liqueur „Vetah” is also extremely popular, so in response to many consumers’ requests the production of this emulsion liqueur with pear and almond taste was resumed. The company produces traditional vodkas such as “Korn”, “Platinum”, “Stalitsa Lux”, “Belorusskaya”, „Berestye” balsam, dessert cranberry beverage, a few kinds of bitter tinctures, like „Belorusskaya Pertsovaya” or „Brestskaya Zubrovka” and sweet tinctures, brandies, “Shokoladny” and “Kofeyny” liqueurs, potato starch, „Lux” spirit and a large variety of other vodkas for all kinds of taste.
Certified Quality
The system of quality management was implemented at Brest Distillery Company in 1998. This system meets the requirements of ISO 9001. The certification was carried out by International Company „Bureau Veritas Quality International” and Gosstandart of Republic of Belarus. In March 2004 „Bureau Veritas Quality International” granted Belalco the certificate proving that the quality management system meets the requirements of ISO 9001-2000. In September 2004 Belarussian Gossstandart granted Belalco the certificate of conformity according to СТБ ISO 9001-2000. Generally Belalco received more than 300 awards. Only in 2009 Belalco participated in 14 events and won 2 Grand Prix, 19 golden, 5 silver and 2 bronze awards.
Export Sales
The products of Brest Distillery Company are known also abroad. The company has a rich export experience. Currently vodka and other alcoholic beverages of Belalco are sold to Baltic countries, Germany, Poland, New Zealand, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China and other countries. For the last five years the company’s sales have grown not only on domestic market, but also abroad. In 2010 Belalco products were shipped for export to Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Germany, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and New Zealand. The company works out the possibility of selling its products to Russia.
Written by Kateryna Ferdyn
