Stolichnaya's Russian branding made it a target of the 2013 LGBT boycott

After Russia passed a law banning 'propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations' in June 2013, LGBT activists in the United States called for a boycott of Russian vodka. Stolichnaya, one of the best-known premium vodka brands in North America, became the most visible target despite being owned by Luxembourg-based SPI Group and distilled in Latvia.

Gay bars in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, West Hollywood and Toronto pulled Stoli from their shelves and poured out existing stock. Queer Nation accused SPI of staying silent while the Russian government considered and passed the law, and only speaking up once the boycott began.

SPI Group and Latvijas Balzams responded by emphasizing that Stoli sold in the West was produced in Latvia, that owner Yuri Shefler had left Russia years earlier after falling out with the Kremlin, and that the company supported the global LGBT community. Latvian gay-rights group Mozaika also appealed to boycott organizers, arguing the campaign would harm Latvian workers rather than the Russian state.