History

“The history of Elan started in the early 2000’s in Central Asian markets where the Founders were already operating in the importation, distribution and marketing of premium Wines & Spirits for leading brands such as Moët-Hennessy, Diageo, Dourthe, Bacardi-Martini, Torres, and others. In 2002, they decided to combine their experiences and opened together a fully controlled import and distribution company in Russia with a purchasing center in France, followed soon after by Kazakhstan in 2003. The Elan Group was born.

 Elan has since expanded its distribution network in Asia, with the opening of new subsidiaries in China (2006), and South Korea (2013). End of 2019, Elan reinforced its positions in China with the implementation of a dedicated structure in Hong-Kong. 

In March 2022, just after the war started in Ukraine, the Group decided to cease its operations in Russia and to further concentrate its development on East Asia.

Over the last two years, the Group has strongly accelerated its growth and enlarged its distribution network in its existing markets, by opening retail stores, e-shops, and new regional offices.

The Group is headquartered in Bordeaux and is led by MM. Thomas Burgelin and Mathieu Bonneville, co-founders of Elan and key shareholders alongside the General Managers of each subsidiary.