Vladimir Stoyanov: The Locals Should Once Again Be Proud to Call Kyustendil the Mecca of Fruit Cultivation

Rozara 1, part of Rozara Group, acquired in the beginning of February the majority of shares in Vinprom Kyustendil. The intention of the new owner is “to restore the capacity of the distillery, which was a leading spirits producer in Bulgaria in the middle of the last century, when it was built.

Vinprom Kyustendil was designed and built in 1945 by leading Austrian engineers and distillation experts, to serve the needs of Bulgaria’s spirits export in the vast markets of the former Soviet Union. It is located in the heart of Kyustendil – a region with long-standing traditions in fruit farming and today produces six types of fruit rakias: cherry, pear, apple, plum, apricot and grapes.

Commenting on the acquisition, Vladimir Stoyanov, CEO of Rozara Group, stated: “We are already working to increase the capacity of the distillery. We’re still estimating how much investment would the full restoration require, but we have already started to make small adjustments that will bring good results in a short time.”

He added that the facility is working on very low capacity right now and the intention of Rozara Group is to double the production of the distillery within the first year which will require widening of the network of suppliers, and reaching out to even more local fruit suppliers.

“The region has a long-standing reputation in fruit production, despite the fluctuation in recent years reflecting the overall agricultural decline in Bulgaria. The locals should be once again proud to call Kyustednil Bulgaria’s fruit cultivation mecca.”

The new owners have kept 100% of the management team of Vinprom Kyustendil, adding some fresh blood to the team. One of the key names on the refreshed team is Pavel Enchev – Pako, brand development and marketing expert with over 25 years of experience in the field, of which 13 primarily focused on product development and marketing of spirits.