The co-founder of Bundobust has called upon hospitality owners to stop using Russian vodka.
Marko Husak, who is of Ukrainian origin and who has relatives still in the major cities as invading Russian forces advance, said that the move is about ‘chipping away’ piece by piece at the state economy.
Brands like Stolichnaya and Russian Standard are among the most prominent Russian brands, and though produced and bottled outside Russia, proceeds from the trademarks will still filter back to the state.
“We’ve never sold Russian vodka, but when Russia invaded Ukraine, I thought it would be a good opportunity to spread a message to others in hospitality not to sell it either,” he told the Manchester Evening News.
“Some of these brands are state owned, some are owned by oligarchs, and in a sense I feel like this is part of the chipping away.
“F1 has been cancelled, Russian teams now not allowed to play football in international competition, sanctions against oligarchs.
“If wholesalers stop importing or selling Russian vodka, which is a massive export for the Russian economy, then again, it’s another thing that hurts their economy.
“Everything that punished the Russian economy can make a difference. Plus it’s not very good anyway. I wouldn’t clean my toilet with that stuff, and you can quote me on that!”
He's not the only hospitality operator to make the move.
Martin Wolstencroft, CEO of Arc Inspirations which runs the Manhatta, Box and Banyan bar brands said last week: "As the situation in Ukraine continues to unfold, we have decided to take a stand and have stopped pouring Russian vodka at bars across our venues.
"Putting people at the heart of our business is what we do. Together we stand and support our employees, customers, partners, and peers who have been affected.”
For Husak though, the matter is more personal than perhaps for others.
Both of his grandparents are from Ukraine, and he still has close relatives there, including some of whom are now fighting in Kyiv.
“I have a lot of cousins and second cousins, my grandparents brothers and sisters. They escaped persecution in the 40s, and it’s all happening again now,” he went on.
“It’s like the Berlin Wall never came down.
“I have friends in Kyiv, my cousin’s wife crossed the border into Poland, 40 hours in the queue with a two-month-old baby.
“They crossed the border, and he stayed behind to join up with the territorial defence. It’s still sinking in.
“The Ukrainian troops are doing us proud. They’re the heroes. Putin thought he’d take the cities in two minutes, but now it’s dirty tactics. He can’t win on the ground.
“People in Russia have been living in a prison for 30 years, and Ukraine have tasted freedom.”
Husak founded the hit vegetarian restaurant chain with his friend Mayur Patel in 2013, opening their first restaurant in Leeds in 2014, and then another in Piccadilly in 2016.
They opened a second restaurant on Oxford Road last year, and now have four with an additional site in Liverpool.
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