Pernod Ricard invests in Japanese gin brand
KI NO BI is a small-batch artisanal gin distilled at Japan’s first dedicated gin distillery, which was built in Kyoto in 2014.
The gin is made from a rice spirit and Japanese botanicals such as yuzu, lemon, sansho pepper, ginger and gyokuro tea. It has a ‘recognisable dry gin flavour with a Japanese accent: pure, perfectly balanced with distinctive aromas and a lingering finish of light ginger.’
The distillery's products include KI NO BI Kyoto Dry Gin; KI NO TEA (with Uji teas) and KI NO BI Haskap Liquor.
The entrepreneurs behind the gin - David Croll, Noriko Kakuda Croll and Marcin Miller - will remain with the business.
KI NO BI will join The Pernod Ricard Gin Hub and reinforce its stable of international brands such as Beefeater, Plymouth, Malfy (an Italian gin acquired last year) and Monkey 47 (a Black Forest gin acquired in 2016).
“Driven by the rise of mixology, the ultra-premium gin category has been experiencing uninterrupted dynamism,” says Pernod Ricard.
“With this partnership, Pernod Ricard further expands its portfolio of specialty and prestige brands, composed of small brands with unique and comprehensive value propositions, selected distribution and significant growth potential.
“Thanks to Pernod Ricard’s extensive distribution network, this strategy is yielding positive results as sales of the Group’s specialty brands have been growing at a double-digit rate, well above the industry average.”
