Tequila sales surge 26% in Russia

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Tequila sales in Russia surged by 26% year-on-year in January-May 2026, reaching 154,590 hectoliters, according to market participants cited by Kommersant. This category became the fastest-growing segment of the alcoholic beverage market.

Experts attribute the growth to a low base in the previous year, increased parallel imports, and the localization of tequila production in Russia, including the release of "pseudo-tequila" products made with agave distillate.

In addition to tequila, demand for aperitifs increased by 24.3% to 677,130 hectoliters, rum by 21.7% to 948,430 hectoliters, sweet liqueurs by 20.1% to 1.7 million hectoliters, and gin by 14.8% to 976,920 hectoliters. Market players explain the growth in these categories due to increased popularity of cocktails among consumers and a partial shift from wine consumption.

Overall, according to Rosalkogoltoregulation (the Russian state body regulating alcohol and tobacco), there is a general decline in alcohol demand in the country. From the beginning of the year, 357.21 million hectoliters of alcoholic beverages were sold, which is 1.3% less than in the same period last year. The drop in demand is attributed to consumer pessimism and rising prices of alcoholic beverages.