Despite the full-scale war, alcohol sales in Ukraine remain high. According to Serhiy Mazur, head and co-owner of Vitis Group, in 2025 wine and sparkling wine sales almost reached pre-war levels in terms of volume, but in monetary terms, the market has shrunk by 30–40%.
The reason lies in the change in the structure of consumption. After the war, a large part of consumers in the middle and middle "plus" segments went abroad. This significantly reduced the average purchase check. In contrast, Ukrainians who remained in the country more often choose cheap imported wines and strong alcohol.
"People are nervous and drink alcohol more often. As a result, heavy alcohol consumption has even exceeded pre-war levels," Mazur noted.
At the same time, interest in local production is growing. More and more consumers are choosing Ukrainian craft drinks - beer, tinctures, wines. However, the situation with wines is not easy: demand is growing, but raw materials are in short supply.
Due to the loss of vineyards in the south of the country, where grapes were traditionally grown, Ukrainian winemaking has found itself in a difficult situation. Attempts to move production to other regions have not compensated for the deficit. Not only winemakers, but also brandy producers are competing for the harvest.
"We see a surge in demand for grapes. But the one who makes the best wine from it doesn't always get the best raw material - often the one who pays more wins," the expert concludes.
