Gubernija brewery managed by MV GROUP Production, one of the largest beverage manufacturers in the Baltic States, is expanding its’ exports to the United States market by launching Lithuanian bread kvass in one of the largest US retail chains, Publix. As of October 1, Gubernija products are available at 20 Publix stores in Miami, Florida.

According to Aurimas Abromavičius, the export manager of MV GROUP, although Gubernija’s products could be found in US stores before, so far, such Lithuanian products have been sold only in ethnic stores. Therefore, the appearance of Gubernija on Publix shelves is the first time that Lithuanian bread kvass has been offered to local consumers.

“We are consistently strengthening our position in the United States, so the contract with the Publix retail chain is an important step in gaining a foothold in the soft drinks market. The bread kvass we produce appeared on the shelves of grocery stores located in the third largest in the economy and the fourth most populous US state, which shows that we have developed a world-class product. We hope that Lithuanian kvass will be successful, and we will be able to grow its’ consumer audience” says Abromavičius.

Gubernija bread kvass in the Publix stores in the US will be sold in newly designed 500 ml glass bottles and aluminum cans.

The company B&I Overseas Trading INC, the largest exporter of Lithuanian products to the USA, helped MV GROUP Production to establish a partnership with the Publix retail chain. The company is responsible for the delivery of Gubernija products to Publix stores, shelf maintenance and orders.

The Publix retail chain, with an annual turnover of $38 billion, covers the southeastern states of the US and has a network of 1,252 stores, distribution centers and 11 factories employing nearly 200,000 people. It is the largest company in Florida in terms of number of employees.

In total, Gubernija’s products are exported to 15 foreign countries on three continents, including countries such as Germany, Russia, Ireland, Italy, Great Britain and others.

The USA is the second largest export direction of the Gubernija, where 4.6% of the total production for the foreign market is exported this year. The largest amount of production (10.6%) is exported to Germany. In 2020, Gubernija’s exports to the United States increased by 30% compared to last year. The total exports of the Gubernija‘s kvass category have already jumped 15.5 percent this year compared to the previous year.