All alcoholic drinks sold by Pernod Ricard in the European Union
are to carry warnings for pregnant women, raising the bar for
competitors on responsible drinking promotion.
Premium spirits brands have kept Pernod Ricard moving forward over
the last year, offsetting difficulties in Europe to lift the
group's organic sales by seven per cent.
Blockbuster brands helped the world's largest alcoholic drinks
firm, Diageo, to a six per cent sales rise over the last year, but
trading in Europe remains tough.
Pernod Ricard announced it was in discussions with state-owned
Russian firm FKP Soyuzplodoimport to settle an ongoing dispute over
rights to the Stolichnaya vodka brand.
Italian drinks group Campari has been rubbing its hands together
after Pernod Ricard agreed to sell it the world's number two single
malt whisky brand Glen Grant.
Constellation Brands has seemingly walked out on Canadian wine firm
Vincor after its takeover offer expired, but the fall-out is
unlikely to hamper drinks industry consolidation trends.
The world's biggest drinks firm has shunned the chance to buy New
Zealand's Montana wines off Pernod Ricard because it will not
generate enough growth.
Constellation has begun a hostile takeover attempt for Canadian
wine firm Vincor, but its intended prey says it is looking for
other suitors that are willing to pay a 'fair' price.
Newly acquired wine brands have continued to carry Constellation
Brands forward in its second quarter, raising suspicions about
weaknesses in the company's organic growth.
Canadian wine group Vincor has rejected takeover advances from
fellow top-ten producer Constellation Brands, prompting a shouting
match between the two, yet the march of industry consolidation may
be hard to halt.
Pernod Ricard ambled forward in its first half of 2005,
out-performing new rival Diageo, but higher expenses again show the
growing importance of cost-savings and consolidation to the drinks
industry.
One of France's biggest champagne houses, Taittinger, has sold up
to an American hotel firm, but it won't be staying for long as
speculation grows amid a climate for drinks industry consolidation,
reports Chris Mercer.
Drinks industry consolidation aptly took on greater importance this
week as Diageo announced tough trading conditions in a sign that
cost-savings and pricing will be crucial, reports Chris
Mercer.
Constellation is planning to launch newly acquired Robert Mondavi
wines across Europe after it helps sales soar in the US, and Pernod
Ricard finally has Allied Domecq in its sights, reports Chris
Mercer.
The European Commission has approved Pernod Ricard's bid for Allied
Domecq, but will force the firm to dump extra whiskey brands and
distribution agreements before a deal goes through, reports
Chris Mercer.
The consortium led by Constellation Brands has pulled out of the
race to buy Allied Domecq leaving Pernod Ricard as the only bidder
in the build up to next week's shareholder vote.
Foster's has Aussie firm Southcorp in the palm of its hand after
increasing its stake in the wine company to more than 90 per cent,
reports Chris Mercer.
Foster's looks set to finally swallow fellow Aussie wine firm
Southcorp after taking a 50.9 per cent voting majority. Elsewhere,
the Constellation consortium appears to be struggling to get the
cash for an offer for Allied Domecq...
Constellation Brands has confirmed it approached Allied Domecq on
Wednesday as part of a larger consortium to discuss the terms of a
possible counter bid to Pernod Ricard, reports Chris Mercer.
The battle for Allied Domecq looks set to begin with news that
Constellation Brands, the world's biggest wine company, is
considering launching a rival bid to the £7.4 billion offer tabled
by Pernod Ricard, reports Chris Mercer.
Foster's look set to win its long battle to buy Australian winery
Southcorp after grinding down board members' resistance to a deal
that could spawn a formidable 'brand Australia' on the world wine
market, reports...
Allied Domecq has advised shareholders to accept a bid for the
company by Pernod-Ricard worth £7.4 billion, as the latter prepares
to shed brands to form the world's largest wine and spirits group,
reports Chris Mercer.
Pernod Ricard and Fortune Brands may be planning a formal takeover
bid for the world's second biggest spirits firm, Allied Domecq, as
soon as Thursday, according to a report in the UK's Financial
Times newspaper, writes...
Allied Domecq, the world's second biggest spirits company, has
confirmed that it is in talks with Pernod Ricard and Fortune Brands
over its possible sale, a move that emphasizes the current rate of
global consolidation in the...
A shift towards higher sales of premium products has helped
France's leading drinks group Pernod Ricard to post a 5.1 per cent
increase in net profits for 2004, shrugging off the impact of
exchange rate fluctuations.
Australian winery Southcorp has reported a 50 per cent increase in
net profits for the first half of fiscal 2005, a performance which
has allowed the company to reinstate dividend payments for
shareholders for the first time in two...
A substantial drop in organic sales growth in Asia and continued
problems with its eponymous anis brands were the only low points in
an otherwise impressive set of financial results for Pernod Ricard
in 2004, writes Chris Jones.
Chivas Brothers, the company behind the brand Pernod Ricard has
announced the launch of new packaging for its flagship brand Chivas
Regal 12. The company said that the new look coincides with the
group's revamp of the whiskey's...
With western markets already mature, spirits producers are
increasingly looking for opportunities elsewhere, although
persuading consumers in Asia or Latin America to switch from
products such as soju and pisco will not be easy, claims...
Rumours of a takeover bid for Allied Domecq by Brown-Forman and
Bacardi have at least thrown light on the perennial problem facing
the global spirits players.
Patrick Ricard, CEO of French wine and spirit group Pernod Ricard,
has said that there has been no material impact on the company's
business from the boycott of French goods in the US.
Polish vodka brand Luksusowa is to join the Absolut stable
following the conclusion of a deal between the latter's owner, Vin
& Sprit of Sweden, and the Polish government, owner of the
Polmos Zielona Gora distillery which...
Significant investment in core spirits and wine brands, plus the
addition of a number of major products such as Malibu and Mumm
Cuvee Napa, helped the world's number two spirit and wine maker to
a 16 per cent rise in sales in...
The success of J&B Twist and Smirnoff Ice in Spain has
convinced Diageo that RTD products are the way forward in a market
where it has been steadily losing sales in recent years.
France has one of the worst drink driving records in Europe, and
the government has recently redoubled its efforts to get the
'designated driver' message across to consumers. Now the country's
leading wine and spirits...
Martell, the latest priority brand to join the Pernod Ricard
stable, will see a quarter of its workforce axed in the coming
months, a move Pernod says is necessary to keep the company
competitive.
Now fully focused on wine and spirits, France's Pernod Ricard group
has announced a strong rise in first half sales and profits, thanks
to good organic growth from brands such as Jacob's Creek, and to
the addition of the...
Allied Domecq has announced the latest phase of its Move to Market
business plan with the appointment of a number of key managers to
three new business units within its spirits unit.
With the sale of the Agros Fortuna fruit juice and canned food
business, Pernod Ricard's Polish business is now 100 per cent
focused on drinks - which was the reason why Agros was acquired in
the first place.
Schweppes France is to take over many of the administrative duties
of Orangina-Pampryl, entailing the loss of 110 jobs. Some 48 posts
have already gone following the closure of a production facility.
The sale of the cider unit CSR - announced last week by Pernod
Ricard - will see the disposal of the last remaining non-core
business, allowing the French group to finally devote all its
efforts to building its wine and spirits empire.
The ownership of two of the best-known vodkas from Eastern Europe
could be under threat. The Russian government has announced that it
plans to sell licences to produce Stolichnaya to the highest
bidders, while Poland is proposing...
