The year 2019 was a turning point in this case, when Systembolaget started to announce tenders for the purchase of Moldovan wines. And it happened thanks to the fact that Irina Bystritskaya, who was working at the NBViV at the time, together with Sergiu Tanurkov, obtained a meeting at Systembolaget and made a presentation of Moldovan winemaking there. Last year a record five tenders were held only for Moldovan wines. Tanurkov’s company High Coast Wine AB won the tender for sparkling wines with a brut “charm” wine from Cricova, which is sold in the Systembolaget store system.
When this company started in 2014, there were no Moldovan wines in Sweden, even in online boutiques. That is, in addition to the state monopoly stores, there are websites selling alcohol, but you can only physically pick up your order at Systembolaget stores. Another peculiarity for private business in this area is that only tasting is allowed at trade fairs, selling is prohibited.
Wine – the winner of the tender is given a period of nine months, during which it must score enough points to remain in the state monopoly’s assortment.
“For a whole year we conducted a campaign to promote Moldovan wines (about 10 producers),” says Sergiu Tanurcov. – We participated in 14 expositions in the biggest cities of Sweden. Thanks to this, Cricova wine received the necessary number of points and was kept for at least another year. We fight and struggle for every wine, because Moldova is close to our heart. This is what makes us different from the big importers. Our efforts have borne fruit: if in 2023 we sold 30 thousand bottles, in 2024 – 230 thousand liters, or 10 times more. I think that thanks to the tenders (the other four were won by other companies) in 2025. Moldova will supply the Swedish market with more than 500 thousand liters of wine”.
To get involved in the wine business, Sergiu is working in another field. One of his partners is the owner of a marzipan factory (he is one of the largest marzipan producers in Sweden). The second partner does corporate training. The third has an advertising company. First of all, these four are friends; Tanurkov infected the Swedes with his love for Moldova. That is why they import only Moldovan wine, although, as the interlocutor admits, this is not very smart from a business point of view.
“Before the pandemic and the war, we used to bring tourists to Moldova,” Sergiu says. – They familiarize themselves with the country, and after that they are happy to buy wines they have tasted in Moldova. When there will be peace in the region, we will resume tourism to Moldova. And very different opportunities for selling our wines in Sweden will open up. We believe in our country, in its potential”.
