November 14, 2024
The Nines wins spectacularly at exhibitions: 54 awards worldwide
Leadership and recognition in the Lithuanian beverage market have been secured: The Nines, a cannabis and citrus-flavored spirit drink, has won the gold medal. Altogether, this Lithuanian brand has garnered more than 50 awards in Lithuania and abroad. This latest achievement was celebrated in a dedicated display at the “Choose a Lithuanian Product 2024” exhibition, showcasing the award-winning The Nines, crafted by artisans at Stumbras, part of MV GROUP Production. According to the exhibition organizers, the gold medal in the food and beverages category is a unique honor, signifying both value and assurance to consumers that the product meets the highest quality standards.
Long list of criteria – top evaluation
The Food & Beverages category is one of the most popular, attracting the most renowned Lithuanian producers and their products every year. This year’s competition for the best products was the twelfth in the history of the show. The jury judged the products presented in the competition on a comprehensive list of criteria – from the choice of raw materials, environmental friendliness and production technology to sensory qualities such as smell, taste and colour. It also awarded points for the product appearance and packaging design.
Vaida Paulikė, Production Director of Stumbras, says that it was not difficult to choose a product worthy of taking part in this year’s competition because The Nines brand has a long history and embodies uniqueness, which starts with the careful selection of the plants and other raw materials, and the entire production process consists of 9 stages. On the other hand, the combination of cannabis and citrus flavours reveals the creativity of the production masters and their constant search for innovation.
According to the production technologists, the aim in creating the limited edition product was to maintain the flavour of The Nines and to give the drink a cannabis versatility. As a result, the product has a distinctive aroma of fibrous hemp seeds and citrus fruits, which lingers for a long time and combines with a mild sweet apple note, leaving a balanced sweet and sour taste.
More than 50 awards in Lithuania and abroad
The ability to combine its own traditions and the latest trends in beverage production in an original way opens the door to international recognition for The Nines brand. For many years now, the brand’s drinks have been returning from exhibitions and prestigious competitions abroad with various awards and medals. Paulikė estimates that after the latest triumph, the list of awards for The Nines includes as many as 54 global awards.
The Production Director of Stumbras notes that the cannabis and citrus-flavoured The Nines have been well received in Poland, a country with a long tradition of spirits and draught drinks. The gold medal was won at the Warsaw Spirits Competition 2022 in Warsaw, where beverage experts evaluated the taste characteristics of the products. Meanwhile, the Lithuanian product design won a bronze medal in the Hidden & Secret category of the international packaging design competition A’ DESIGN.
“Every victory and award strengthens our confidence as we enter new markets where The Nines represents Lithuania and promotes our products. This creates an even stronger commitment to the highest quality and heritage, which is perfectly reflected in the unique composition of The Nines beverages made from locally sourced ingredients: various herbs and leaves, roots, bark, flowers and fruits,” says V. Paulikė.
The Nines on the podium alongside international stars
Among the latest international awards, she also mentions the victory of The Nines Aperitif in the World Drinks Awards 2024, where it was named the best herbal liqueur in the world this year. In the same competition, another product of the Stumbras factory, The Nines Botanical, was awarded silver.
Moreover, in the prestigious competition in the USA “San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2024” this year the name of Lithuania was also heard more than once, as the Kaunas-produced beverages The Nines Botanical and The Nines Aperitif were awarded a silver medal each and found themselves in the list of laureates alongside the world’s most famous beverage producers.
According to Paulikė, the recent recognition shows that The Nines brand has all the key attributes needed for international success and expansion. The foundation of all this is the emphasis placed on naturalness and expertise in production, without fear of unexpected solutions and bold challenges.
Kaunas biennial to take place for two months in the historic Stumbras factory spaces: inviting audiences to discover art
September 9, 2025
Every two years, the Kaunas Biennial attracts outstanding Lithuanian and international artists, and this year it will also be hosted in the historic Stumbras factory spaces. The industrial site, with almost 120 years of history, once again opens its doors to art and culture. On September 12, the 15th edition of Lithuania’s largest contemporary art festival will open there with the exhibition Life After Life, which will run for two months.
“Renowned artists from around the world note that our factory is a unique and undiscovered industrial space. The environment gives creativity new layers of meaning and allows audiences to experience art from different perspectives. Here, not only space but also time becomes significant –the production halls have their own rhythm and visiting hours. We hope that during the two months of the Biennial, Kaunas residents and city guests will discover unique experiences here,” says Vidmantė Mickevičienė, Head of Visitor Centers at MV GROUP Production.
According to Kaunas Biennial director Neringa Kulik, the Stumbras factory is one of the most prominent symbols of Kaunas’s industrial heritage, and its history vividly illustrates processes of transformation. “Today, by hosting the 15th Kaunas Biennial exhibition, the factory becomes a living example of how industrial memory and history can create fertile ground for dialogue with contemporary art,” the curator shares.
Space as meaning
Kulik emphasizes that one of the Biennial’s main supporters has engaged in the project in a truly multifaceted way. Each building on the factory grounds carries its own story and conveys powerful meanings, making the presentation of works in these historic spaces both a challenge and an opportunity. According to her, artists will enter the site with fresh reflections and immerse themselves in dialogue.
“When choosing Biennial locations, we sought places with a strong historical, cultural, or architectural narrative. Stumbras offered a unique context where industrial heritage, collective memory, and ongoing transformation intertwine. In such a setting, contemporary artworks gain an additional layer of meaning—they are not only displayed but also resonate with the space itself,” Kulik notes.
Meanwhile, Mickevičienė points out that visitors will be able to join special tours and combined excursions, where they will explore both the Biennial’s main exhibition and the Stumbras museum, founded in 2009. Various creative workshops will also be held – Kaunas Biennial consistently prioritizes accessibility and openness, ensuring visitors feel welcome in the contemporary art space.
Anticipating stars of contemporary art
The organizers highlight the legendary British artist John Smith as the Biennial’s brightest star. His work reflects on his artistic legacy, his experience with cancer, and his relationship with the present moment.
During the opening event on September 12 in the Stumbras spaces, well-known Lithuanian musician and performance artist Paulius Janušonis will perform, along with the London-based collective Rat Section. A live concert at Kaunas Artists’ House will feature Jasper Marsalis – the heir of the famous jazz dynasty, son of Wynton Marsalis and grandson of Ellis Marsalis.
In addition, visitors will encounter works by other internationally recognized artists, including Alex Mackin Dolan, Cudelice Brazelton IV, Phung-Tien Phan, Niklas Taleb, Max Göran, and more.
The factory as an active participant in change
According to Mickevičienė, the Stumbras factory is an inseparable part of Kaunas’s life – a living space where not only industry grows. “We became partners and supporters of the Biennial because we want to show how for nearly 120 years we’ve been making history, integrating into the city’s life, and always being part of transformation – supporting change. And art is the best illustration of change, able to reveal its meaning in multifaceted ways to society. That’s why this impressive concentration of contemporary art in the factory spaces is so important and exciting for us,” she stresses.
She adds that large art projects are not new to Stumbras, but each one uniquely colors and transforms the rhythm of industrial life. “Our spaces are highly valued by musicians. Every concert or performance here takes on a special atmosphere, leaves a deep impression, and forges an authentic bond with the audience. So our contribution to the city’s cultural life is not only our rich historical heritage but also living action and transformation,” Mickevičienė shares. In her words, the exhibition title Life After Life perfectly suits Stumbras, which has experienced countless changes over its nearly 120-year existence.
The main Biennial exhibition Life After Life will run for two months, from September 12 to November 23. Artists will invite visitors to reflect not only on personal and cultural transformations but also on how spaces and objects acquire new meanings over time.
Art will inhabit not only the historic Stumbras factory spaces (K. Būgos St. 7) but also Kaunas Artists’ House (V. Putvinskio St. 56) and the Temporary M. K. Čiurlionis Art Gallery at the Kaunas University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Education (A. Mackevičiaus St. 27).
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