Maxim Artemovich Ananov (in a number of sources also referred to under the surname Ovnanyan) was an entrepreneur of Armenian descent.
He owned of a large wine-producing enterprise in the Russian Empire, known for its production of sparkling wines.
Maxim Artemovich owned around 175 desyatinas (approximately 191 hectares) of land, which included vineyards and winemaking facilities.
The company’s main plant was located in Sukhumi and was equipped with the most advanced technology of its time, enabling impressive production volumes—600,000 to 700,000 liters of wine and up to 150,000 bottles of sparkling wine were produced annually.
The products of the M. A. Ananov trading house gained wide recognition in Russia, especially in the central provinces and the Caucasus, and were noted for their consistently high quality.
The brand was repeatedly awarded at international exhibitions and foreign competitions.