Absolut sure knows how to entertain.

With all of the hubbub [brouhaha? hullabaloo?] reverberating from last week’s Repeal Day Ball, I didn’t have time to report on the Absolut Exceptional Experiences bash held in NYC earlier this month. Hundreds of [highly attractive, I must say] guests packed into a warehouse event space at 508 W. 37th St. to witness Absolut’s launch of its new ad campaign photographed by Ellen Von Unwerth and featuring celebs such as Kate Beckinsale and Zooey Deschanel.

Drinks included Absolut and tonic, the Absolut Citron cosmo, the Absolut bloody mary, and the Absolut Mandarin crush. There was no lack of entertainment, as scantilly-clad ladies danced on stages designed to look like live versions of the new ads while intermittent performances (woman on stilts, for instance) went on throughout the evening.

Giuseppe Gonzalez and Richard Boccato of Dutch Kills were featured at a satellite bar, mixing drinks with Absolut Citron, Mandarin, and Peppar for a sizable crowd. Contemporary Cocktails managed the bar service and staffing, and everyone seemed to be having a blast.

According to The New York Times, Absolut, sold under the umbrella of Pernod Ricard USA, is planning to introduce ads in collaboration with director Spike Jonze next year. Let’s hope there’s a party for that, too!

By Arron Connoly and Constantine Innemee

A minimum price on alcohol would be a “double hit” on the whisky industry according to a Scottish Whisky Association (SWA) spokesman.

Campbell Evans said the proposed introduction of a fixed price on alcohol would drastically affect both sales and jobs in the Scotch industry.

“The proposals would increase the price of your average bottle of whiskey by 33 per cent, which would eventually result in less sales and in turn a cut in jobs,” he said.

Mr Evans explained that the rise in taxes would affect the “bottom-end” brands.

According to the SWA the sale of whiskies would fall by 23 per cent in Scotland if a 50p minimum price was imposed.

Figures show that the industry is already experiencing troubles without the tax hike, with Chivas Regal and Glenlivet announcing sharp falls in sales.

Pernod Ricard reported that year-on-year sales of Chivas fell by 17 per cent whilst Glenlivet is down 7 per cent in volume this financial quarter.

Earlier today a European Court judge rejected the idea of the introduction of a minimum price to protect public health.

The advocate general of the European Court said that the new taxes would lead to a distortion of competition in the EU market.

The Scottish government initially proposed the increase as a measure to counter healthcare spending as a direct result of alcohol related ilnesses.

Dr Harry Burns, Scotland’s chief medical advisor, previously said: “One of the ways in which we can control the amount of alcohol being consumed is to tackle price. If we do that, people who in the course of the next year are going to die are going to be drawn back from the brink.”

Mr Evans disagreed with Dr Burns’ claims, saying the tax would not be enough to deter heavy drinkers from spending money on alcohol.

He also added that pubs would most likely welcome the introduction of a higher tax to compete with undercutting from supermarkets.

Débarrassez-vous de vos clichés : non, la vodka n’est pas nécessairement produite en Russie et en Pologne. La preuve ? La success story Grey Goose qui ouvre notre série sur les vodkas premium, que je vous propose désormais tous les lundis.

S’appuyant sur le prestige dont les produits français bénéficient aux Etats-Unis, Sydney Frank, américain d’origine, eût l’idée géniale de créer une vodka haut de gamme de fabrication française. Depuis 1997, cette eau de vie est distillée à Cognac, région historique des spiritueux, par H.Mounier, référence incontournable du secteur (Cognac Prince Hubert de Polignac). Bacardi rachète ensuite la marque Grey Goose à Sydney Franck en 2004, pour un montant que l’on murmure s’élever à 2 milliards de dollars…

Bien que Grey Goose se situe en troisième position en terme de vente, derrière Absolut Vodka et Smirnoff, elle n’en est pas moins le leader mondial des vodkas haut de gamme. Et en cinq ans, depuis 1999 date du lancement, la marque a multiplié son chiffre d’affaires par trois. Mais Bacardi a le culte du secret et difficile de trouver le montant exact.

Si nous nous penchons maintenant sur les caractéristiques du packaging, que nous révèle l’oie grise ?
La bouteille est une Ariane de chez Saverglass, revêtue d’un satinage partiel avec fenêtre représentant une oie. Puis 4 encres composent le décor des montagnes que l’on peut admirer au travers de la fenêtre laissée vierge de satinage. Mais au lieu d’être imprimé sur la face avant, le décor est en fait imprimé sur l’arrière ; challenge technique si besoin est de le préciser.

Un bandeau bleu, blanc, rouge indique très clairement la provenance du produit, accompagné de la mention « produced and distilled in France ». L’accent est mis sur le prestige français, comme le souhaitait Sydney Frank à l’origine.
Les montagnes évoquent la nature, l’air pur, le froid qui correspondent à l’imaginaire de la vodka qui se sert glacée.
Pourquoi l’oie alors ? Symbole du voyage, de la découverte, du retour, l’oie est également…symbole de gastronomie française et de prestige. La boucle est bouclée.

La bouteille est livrée dans un étui dont le décor de montagne est repris sur le bas.

Le conditionnement est proposée en 37,5cl, 50cl, 1,75 litres, 4,5litres et 6 litres. La marque a également procédé à un élargissement de gamme avec une déclinaison de quatre saveurs : orange, vanille, citron et poire.

Grey Goose poursuit ainsi son ascension fulgurante grâce à un marketing agressif face à ses concurrents. Elle a d’ailleurs ouvert en 2005 un bar de glace et marche directement sur les plates-bandes de son plus célèbre concurrent, Absolut Vodka, du groupe Pernod Ricard.

Je vous invite également à découvrir le site de mon camarade Simon, Ivre de Pub, qui traite de la communication des marques d’alcool : http://comalcool.wordpress.com/

Et je ne vous le répéterai jamais assez : l’abus d’alcool est dangereux pour la santé, à consommer avec modération.

A lundi prochain.

La bouteille Grey Goose

Stock price: €56.1
Conclusion: The stock further re-rated since September (up 9%) reaching our valuation range of €55-58. We expect it to consolidate around this level. Although we expect like for like growth to accelerate in H2, we think that EPS growth will be held back by negative forex and higher marketing spending.

Q1 sales down 6% reported, down 4% like for like. Guidance will be given at the AGM on November 2.

Q1 sales could have been worse considering the tough comparison base (sales up 7% in Q109), and the timing of US distributors orders for Christmas and the New Year. Diageo sales declined by 6% during the corresponding period.
We think that Pernod Ricard could end the year with net positive organic growth between +1-2% thanks to : return to positive growth for Absolut in the US ( +1% in consumer off take in Q1), the end of destocking from wholesalers, continuing positive price and mix impact, strong momentum in emerging markets (+15% sales in emerging Asia in Q1, Martell gaining share), higher marketing support.

EPS growth momentum will be held back by four factors:
-weak organic growth in H1 which accounts for more than 2/3 of the full year earnings. Altough we expect Q2 to improve, this should not be enough to compensate for the slow start in Q1. The second half of the year should benefit from positive operating leverage, but the contribution is smaller.
-Higher marketing expenses. We understood already in September that management would raise expenses, that has been confirmed last week. We expect spending to amount to 18% of sales against 17.2% last year (-€50m impact).
-We estimate the negative impact of the dollar on operating earnings at around €85m, only partly offset by reduced financial expenses (€21m).
-higher number of shares
As a result, profit from recurring operations could be down 5%, while adjusted earnings could remain flat helped by lower financial expenses. EPS could fall by 8.4% to €3.91.

The stock trades at moderate 13.7x and 13.5x P/E based on our calendarised estimates for 2009 and 2010 vs 15 and 14x respectively for Diageo. Based on EV/EBITDA, Pernod Ricard looks more expensive than Diageo (12.5x 2010 vs 10.6x for Diageo).
The stock price reached the middle of our valuation range, which suggests that it is fairly priced for the coming months.

By Arron Connoly and Constantine Innemee

A minimum price on alcohol would be a “double hit”  on the whiskey industry according to a  Scottish Whisky Association (SWA) spokesman.

Campbell Evans said the proposed introduction of a fixed price on alcohol would drastically affect both sales and jobs in the Scotch industry.

“The proposals would increase the price of your average bottle of whiskey by 33 per cent, which would eventually result in less sales and in turn a cut in jobs,” he said.

Mr Evans explained that the rise in taxes would affect the “bottom-end” brands.

According to the SWA the sale of whiskies would fall by 23 per cent in Scotland if a 50p minimum price was imposed.

Figures show that the industry is already experiencing troubles without the tax hike, with Chivas Regal and Glenlivet announcing sharp falls in sales.

Pernod Ricard reported that year-on-year sales of Chivas fell by 17 per cent whilst Glenlivet is down 7 per cent in volume this financial quarter.

Earlier today a European Court judge  rejected the idea of the introduction of a minimum price to protect public health.

The advocate general of the European Court said that the new taxes would lead to a distortion of competition in the EU market.

The Scottish government initially proposed the increase as a measure to counter healthcare spending as a direct result of alcohol related ilnesses.

Dr Harry Burns, Scotland’s chief medical advisor, previously said: “One of the ways in which we can control the amount of alcohol being consumed is to tackle price. If we do that, people who in the course of the next year are going to die are going to be drawn back from the brink.”

Mr Evans disagreed with Dr Burns’ claims, saying the tax would not be enough to deter heavy drinkers from spending money on alcohol.

He also added that pubs would most likely welcome the introduction of a higher tax to compete with undercutting from supermarkets.

Uma super campanha da Radioação pelo nordeste, indo de Fortaleza (CE) até Porto Seguro (BA), no lançamento dos sabores do Rum Montilla.

Além da degustação dos sabores Limão, Guaraná e Abacaxi, muita ação promocional em praias, shows, as maiores micaretas e pontos de venda… Imagens da rede Globo, que acompanhou a promoção com sua equipe…

Estas imagens fazem parte do portfólio da Radioação.

LXTV.com’s online bartending competition for season two’s On the Rocks, takes off from where season one left off:  bartender’s making a go at a $100,000 check (courtesy of Absolut Vodka) and the title of America’s Top Bartender at the two-time host city of Las Vegas. 

Where season one was filmed at bars throughout the MGM Grand, season two will take place throughout Caesars Palace over eight days, starting at the end of October and airing as three 30-minute episodes on NBC following Saturday Night Live, beginning November 7.   Up to three contestants may be voted off after each episode, making this both the shortest of the foodie reality television shows out there as well as that with the highest stakes for the competitors. 

Open casting calls were held in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Chicago and Las Vegas. 

Award-winning mixologist and Pernod Ricard brand ambassador Simon Ford will return on the show in the capacity as advisor on all things beverage. 

Among those made famous during season one were Las Vegas bartenders James “Franchise” Hadhazy, BarMagic of Las Vegas’ Kristen Schaefer and Stripsteak’s Amanda Gager, who, after outlasting and outmixing her competition, took home the check and the coveted title.  Gager is said to be returning this season as judge, as well as entertaining Italian playboy bartender Brienza. 

Among those called back this season was First Food and Bar bartender Mariena Mercer, 26, and a rare second-generation Las Vegas native.  Mercer has been bartending up to two jobs at once since she turned 21.

 “I really want to experience every type of bartending,” she says.  “I really would love to own my own bar some day.”

THERE’S MORE TO GUMERCHA THAN A BIG WOODEN HORSE

Who needs acid when you can come to Gumeracha and visit the Big Rocking Horse!

Big things, I love them. Big wines. Big meals. Big occasions. And I especially love a Big Monument. Been to all of them in Australia. The Big Banana. The Big Pineapple. The Big Orange. The Big Sheep. The Big Koala. The Big Lobster. The Big Ned Kelly. But one of them holds a special place in my heart. It was the first Big Monument I ever saw as a kid. It was The Big Rocking Horse in the sleepy little Adelaide Hills town of Gumeracha. This Big Monument that showed me that dreams were possible. That even the pointless actually had a point (and a bloody big one at that)! Gumeracha has always had a special place in my heart. And that special place in my heart has grown a little bit bigger after getting to know the wines of Gumeracha’s own Protero.

VEEE-ON-YAY… IS A-OK (as are Goats and all that they produce)

If I was a goat I would like to live here

So, we’ve done the Rose, loaded up on good Chardonnay and had some wonderful Cheese and Oysters. But before we hit the Protero stand i’m distracted by a delicious looking platter of Goats Cheese and Quince Paste tarts. I think that Goats are probably the most underrated food producing animal in Australia. They produce delicious milk, cheese and meat. Curry Goat is bloody delicious. But anyways, I was peckish again so I *Bad joke alert* grabbed one of those tarts faster than a footy player would on his end of season footy trip. Were they good? Delicious. Who made them? Couldn’t tell you. Sorry. It was a catering company in the Adelaide Hills that do weddings, parties, anything… If anyone who was at the tasting knows please leave a comment below because I would like some more Goat’s Cheese and Quince Paste tarts. Please.

On to the Protero stand. There were more people ready to serve wine than being served wine at the stand. Which isn’t hard when there is no-one being served wine. But do you really need four people to man one stand? Maybe not but the first thing that struck me about the folk at the Protero stand (a bunch of owners/assistant winemakers) was there enthusiasm and love of what they do. Always a good thing, especially when you’ve passed a couple of soulless Foster’s/Constellation/Pernod stands. These are the three companies that produce the vast amount of wine in Australia. They dominate the wine industry in a similar fashion to the way Coles, Woolworths and IGA dominate the Supermarkets. Which brings me to another point. While I love wines from wineries and companies of all sizes, why is it so easy to pick the big brands at wine tastings??

INTWINES GUIDE TO PICKING (and avoiding) THE BIG THREE AT REGIONAL (or other) WINE TASTINGS

• Excessive Promotional Material
• Excessive highlighting of awards no matter how minor
• Tight ass pouring of wine
• Rude, holier than thou and uninterested staff manning the stand
• No wine above $20 RRP available for tasting
• Start Packing up 3 hours before the end of the Tasting

Ahh, cascades... So relaxing, so nice after a silly rant.

Rant over. Back to Protero. Enthusiastic people. Excited for me to try their wines. Excited for me to spread the word about their wonderful wines. You don’t need me, I say, you have some fancy Winestate Wine Of The Year award for your Merlot. No, they say, we want real people to spread the word. It works best they say. Agree I do. And then they give me a taste of the most delicious Viognier I have had for a while.

2007 Protero Wines Viognier

Protero Viognier 2007

Price :: $29 from http://www.proterowines.com.au

Cellar Potential :: Delicious now and will stay that way up to 3 years

Score :: 94

Music Match :: Delicate, sensual and refined… The music to match this wine could only come from Minnie Ripperton, of Lovin’ You fame. Why? Minnie and Viognier are both underrated. In the wrong hands they can become a caricature. Yes, i’m looking at you South Park and various nameless winemakers. But when they are treated right they are both capable of soaring to undreamt of heights. Forget Lovin’ You and head straight to Inside My Love, in my humble opinion her finest moment. Grab a bottle of this sexy, slinky wine. Grab your partner. Put on Minnie Riperton. And let the magic begin…

The Summary :: This wine is delicious. In the wrong hands Viognier can be oily, horrible stuff that tastes like the juice in a tin of sliced Apricots or Peaches. But not this stuff. Sure the signature Viognier apricot is there. But the aroma is more apricot kernel than pure apricot. And it’s supported by lifted citrus, quince and pear notes. Delicate. These intriguing notes continue onto the palate where they dominate the apricot to the point of almost making it disappear. But it’s really all about the mouthfeel. Buttery, slinky and balanced with the right amount of acidity. Not in the least bit oily. Refined. And for my money one of the best value Viogniers in Australia.

* This post is dedicated to the memory of Keith Floyd, a true legend who bought class, humor and irreverence to the world of food and wine. I heard the sad news of his passing as I was writing this post. He will always be a great inspiration to me and many others. RIP Keith Floyd*

Stock price: €51.4
Conclusion: 10%+discount to Diageo, further upside based on €53-58 valuation range.

FY2009: Sales up 9% reported, flat like for like, EPS up 10%. FY10 guidance given on November 2.

Looking at FY2009, we would like to highlight:
-Solid pricing (around +4%) which helped to maintain sales of the top 15 brands stable in a recessionary environment.
-lower marketing expenses (-7%) in line with the industry trend.
-Excellent numbers in Asia and the ROW, partly helped by forex and surprisingly good resistance of the French market.
-a tough year in America that was saved by the consolidation of Absolut, mainly responsible for a 50% increase in current earnings.
-Disappointing earnings in Europe, the weak spot, with flat sales and lower margins.
-Overall, EBIT grew 21%, 3.5% like for like (vs flat sales), 13% thanks to Absolut, 4.5% thanks to Forex.
-Strong growth in Free Cash Flow (€1276m) helped by lower working capital and capex.

In the absence of guidance for FY 2010 we look for:
-3% decline in sales, driven by -1% organic, -2% in forex and disposals. Although Q1 should be tough (4-5% down), the rest of the year will benefit from easier comparison. In addition, Asia could perform better than last year.
-As to margins, management made it clear that marketing expenses will increase this year. We factored a 70bp increase to 17.9% of sales. EBIT margin will depend on Pernod Ricard’s ability to contain the COGS and the structural costs. The good resistance of premium drinks, coupled with lower inflation in raw material costs, make us believe that COGS can go down. We see less room for manoeuvre regarding structural costs, which could be slightly reduced (helped by synergies with Absolut of €40m) but could remain stable relative to sales. Consequently, margin could remain unchanged this year (25.6% of sales).
-EPS could retreat 7% from €4.27 to €3.96, impacted by higher number of shares. EPS in fiscal 2011 could rebound by 13%+ helped by a return to 4-5% growth in sales and positive operating leverage.

We know that Q1 won’t be great, but this does not prevent us from expecting further rerating. We confirm our valuation range of €53-58 per share. Pernod trades at 12.5x and 12.2x 2009 and 2010 P/E, 11% discount to Diageo based on calendarised estimates.

A Pernod Ricard, grupo multinacional francês, co-líder de mercado de bebidas destiladas e número 1 em bebidas Premium, patrocinará pelo segundo ano a II Conferência Internacional do Negócio do Luxo – ATUALUXO 2009 com sua grife Super Premium de whisky, Chivas Regal 25 anos.

Chivas Regal é a marca de whisky escocês Premium, que abrange os whiskies Chivas Regal 12 anos e os super Premium Chivas Regal 18 e 25 anos. O luxuoso destilado vem de uma tradição de 200 anos de Chivas Brothers, pioneiros na arte de mesclar os melhores whiskies de malte e de grão da Escócia, principalmente os whiskies de Speyside (coração da Escócia).

Chivas Regal 25 Years Old, primeiro whisky de luxo do mundo, é um blend que reúne whiskies envelhecidos por no mínimo 25 anos. Cada garrafa, numerada individualmente, reflete a qualidade e o legado do líquido dourado que traz em seu interior. A raridade é produzida em quantidade limitadíssima, apenas três vezes em 100 anos.

“Chivas Regal já nasceu como um whisky de luxo, ao chegar ao mercado mundial, em 1909, com o Chivas 25 anos. De lá para cá, nossa família cresceu e manteve essa tradição, lançando apenas produtos na categoria Premium e super Premium, portanto, estar presente neste evento reforça o posicionamento das nossas grifes e nos estimula a investir cada vez mais no mercado brasileiro”, explica Douglas Tsukimoto, Diretor de Marketing da Pernod Ricard Brasil.

A ATUALUXO 2009 ocorrerá entre os dias 9 e 11 de setembro no Grand Hyatt Hotel em São Paulo.

Mais informações: www.atualuxo.com.br

It’s so hard to fit all of the excitement, events, booze, and news of Tales of the Cocktail into a few measly posts, but if I didn’t consolidate and summarize this all, I’d be writing about Tales year-round. And trust me, we don’t need that—they’ve already got a fine blog of their own: Tales blog.

So here’s the remainder of what I have to share with those of you who’ve taken an interest in my Tales travels—then, it’s a wrap!

Saturday was my last full day in New Orleans (I left Sunday morning at an ungodly hour) & I went out with a bang! The day started out with breakfast at Brennan’s—an amazing treat I’ve been looking forward to since…well, since last year when I had breakfast at Brennan’s. Amazing! Strawberries & cream, Eggs Portuguese, & their famous Bananas Foster. I probably didn’t have to eat another bite the whole day…but I sure did.

Later in the day I sat in on one of the funniest Tales sessions I’ve been to—The Three Amigos, with a panel that consisted of Wayne Collins, Jason Crowley, and Simon Ford (he was everywhere at Tales!). I heard fantastic things about their session last year and these boys didn’t disappoint.

Again, it was a case of excellent accents matched with interesting content. They covered who they consider to be the three most important bartenders of the 19^th century—Jerry Thomas, Harry Johnson, and The Only William-William Schmidt, paying particular attention to the bartenders’ varying personalities, service styles, cocktails, and mustaches. Best of all, this session had some of my favorite freebies of the week. Two reprints from Mud Puddle Books & a new bar spoon. Nice!

The Spirit Awards, sponsored by Pernod Ricard, were later that evening at Harrah’s Casino—and it was a great way to end a week of worshipping cocktails. I was lucky enough to be seated at a great table this year (with Robert Hess and Dave Wondrich to name-drop a few) and thus got a wonderful view of the many deserved winners. Here’s the list of 2009 Tales of the Cocktail Spirit Award winners:

World’s Best Drinks Selection: Merchant Hotel, Belfast

Best American Cocktail Bar: Pegu Club, NYC

World’s Best Cocktail Bar: PDT, NYC

World’s Best New Cocktail Bar: Clover Club, Brooklyn

World’s Best Hotel Bar: Merchant Hotel, Belfast

American Bartender of the Year: Jim Meehan, PDT

International Bartender of the Year: Tony Conigliaro

Best New Cocktail/Bartending Book: The Essential Cocktail by Dale DeGroff

Best Cocktail Writing: Dave Wondrich

Best New Product: Bols Genever

World’s Best Cocktail Menu: Merchant Hotel, Belfast

Best American Brand Ambassador: Simon Ford, Plymouth Gin & Pernod Ricard

Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award: Peter Dorelli

Congratulations to all the winners!

Most celebrated afterward, at the Plymouth-sponsored Bartender’s Breakfast. The event, held at the remarkable LaTrobe’s on Royal, was packed with a line out the door! There were at least a dozen bars throughout the venue serving up quality cocktails to sleep-deprived cocktailians determined to stay up until their 7 AM flight. Again, it was a great party and a wonderful way to give one last toast to Tales. I had a fantastic time this year and I’m sure next year will bring more surprises, sessions, parties, friends and of course, cocktails. Cheers!

Stock price: €48
Conclusion: Attractive Risk Reward, looking for 15%+rerating.

Trading update on 2009 year (end of June): sales up 9% reported, 0% organic. Management confirmed the low end of +3-5% organic profit growth guidance and around +10% net profit.

Notwithstanding some improvement in Q4, with sales down only 3% versus 12% in Q3, we expect revenue growth in financial 2010 to remain held back by poor on-trade traffic and continued destocking from wines and spirits distributors.

However, we find Pernod Ricard attractive for three reasons:
-First, we feel that there is a huge upside potential for Absolut (acquired in August 2008) outside the US, thanks to the existing distribution network of Pernod Ricard. In addition, the network is in place and the integration should be executed at a marginal cost.
-Second, cost control looks even more critical when top line growth slows down. Management’s track record following the acquisition of Allied Domecq leads us to believe that SGA should remain under control and help to preserve the bottom line. Last year for instance, Pernod Ricard managed to increase organic profit by 3% despite flat underlying sales growth.
-Thirdly, the recent right issue coupled with the disposal of Wild Turkey should be sufficient to reduce the refinancing risks. We expect Pernod Ricard to generate €1bn of free cash flow in 2010.

Pernod Ricard looks cheap trading at 11.3x 2009 versus 12.8x for Diageo and 18x for Remy Cointreau. The stock is down 13% in a year, the worst performance in the sector.
We think Pernod Ricard should trade within a €53-58 range, in line with our DCF valuation, which should provide around 15% return in 12 months.

Orsak
Den ekonomiska krisen har påverkat alla. Efter köpet av Vin och Sprit har Pernod Ricard nu en skuld på 130 miljarder kronor. Största orsaken till skulden är på grund av köpet av Vin och Sprit. Som Martin skrivit är också en orsak att euron är så högt värderad. Om att euron står högt värderad väntar jag med därför gör jag såhär så länge tills det är kollat.

 Konsekvenser
Frankrike förlorar på sin export, jordbruket är som vi tidigare konstaterat en av de viktigaste faktorerna för en hållbar ekonomi. Om Frankrike avtar med att exportera vinet som är av de största exportvarorna kommer…

Individnivå: Bönderna förlora sina arbeten då de inte längre kan odla vinet, då de inte kommer exporteras lika mycket vin som tidigare. Det bildas en konkurrens mellan de franska bönderna. Som Andreas tidigare skrivit bildas även en konkurrens mellan Östeuropa och Frankrike.

Samhällsnivå: Det bildas en minskad efterfrågan och produktiviteten minskar –> högre arbetslöshet bland folket –> BNP minskar då efterfrågan/konsumtionen minskar

 Åtgärd
I syfte med att minska skulderna tänker Pernod Ricard nu göra en ny emission om en miljard euro, närmare bestämt 11 miljarder kronor. Bolaget säljer även whiskeymärket Wild Turkey till Campari för 575 miljoner dollar.

/Antonia

Bakgrund
Frankrike är världens femte största ekonomiska makt om man ser till storleken på landets BNP. Frankrike är även världens näst största exportör av jordbruksvarar, framför allt på grund av sitt vin, se Andreas inlägg för mer info om jordbruket. 2008 exporterade Frankrike 13,6 miljoner hektoliter vin. Jämfört med Spanien som ligger först på exportlistan av vin som exporterade 16,5 miljoner hektoliter vin.

Ett av de mest omtalade franska anisbrännvin märket Pernod Ricard hade en omsättning på sex miljarder euro 2006. Den 31 mars 2008 köpte Pernod Ricard det svenska bolaget Vin och Sprit med bland annat varumärket Absolut Vodka. I och med köpet av Vin och Sprit som kostade 55 miljarder kronor uppgick Pernod Ricards nettoskuld på 130 miljarder kronor.

I januari 2009 skriver Dagens Nyheter att vinförsäljningen ökade med drygt fyra procent under 2008 i Sverige. 2007 ökade vinförsäljningen mer än den totala alkoholförsäljningen. Den största leverantören av vin till Systembolaget är Vin och Sprit, de levererar var femte liter vin som säljs i butikerna. Vare sig Systembolaget eller Vin och Sprit tror att den ekonomiska krisen kommer att påverka försäljningen, säger Per Anesten, kommunikationsdirektör på Pernod Ricard Nordic.

 Hur har då vinförsäljningen påverkat Frankrike och dess folk? Har vinförsäljningen inte minskat som Per Anesten säger?

 Situation

• Pernod Ricard är en av världens största aktör inom vin och sprit
• Pernod Ricard har en nettoskuld på drygt 130 miljarder kronor
• Varje år exporteras 13,6 miljoner hektoliter vin från Frankrike
• Med nya siffror visar det att försäljningen har minskat med 12 % under det tredje kvartalet

Fortsättning följer…

Del II tar upp orsakerna, konsekvenserna och åtgärden

Call me a humbug or a killjoy, but I have to say that my reaction to the Absolut Kindness campaign (A week,  where kind gestures earn free stuff for people giving them) was one of deep cynicism. This reaction has nothing to do with the product, which I have no problem ordering, or the people running the online campaign. It has more to do with the timing, tone and legitimacy of the “kindness as currency” tagline, leading to a messy self-congratulatory mush.

First off is the advert that’s being aired in cinemas: A whistlestop trip around the globe showing how lovely the world would be if only we could hug and kiss each other instead of paying for things – a sort of kindness economy if you will. Trouble is, that in a time of global recession, suggesting that everything would be better if only money didn’t exist is twee, naive and unreasonable as a central concept of a marketing campaign. What’s more, it’s not a concept that Absolut (owned by Pernod Ricard, a company making annual sales of €6.6bn) subscribes to. Absolut sold around 100m litres of Vodka in 2008, I’m sure that they’d prefer £16 for a bottle rather than a kiss on the cheek (not to mention their shareholders).

Secondly, the week long series of events and giveaways, where people could exchange acts of kindness for goods (fruit, coffee, cocktails – although I’ve seen many a girl get free drinks in exchange for their number or a discreet snog). The website proudly reported that “Early morning coffee seekers who were extra kind to the barista staff were rewarded with lattes, cappuccinos and a few healthy teas. Smiles, winks, loud ‘good mornings’, lots of compliments and laughs demonstrate just how kind Londoners can be.” Yes we can be kind, if we’re getting something for free.

What Absolut don’t tell us is how the vendors were coaxed into taking part. For example, the Berwick St market traders aren’t operating on Pernod Ricard finances. My hunch is that they were sponsored by Absolut to get involved – meaning that the pashminas and grapefruits were paid for in the first place – in essence making the “acts of  kindness” superfluous to the entire economy of it all – or, by Absolut’s logic meaning they’ve been paid for twice… odd.

Finally, visitors to the website are asked the question: In an Absolut World you could acquire whatever you desire as long as you’re prepared to pay in kindness. That puts a slight spin on value. So, how would you measure value? What would you buy and how would you pay for it? 

Unfortunately, most visitors didn’t really get the question and came up with gems such as:

• I wish I can live in a world of kindness. No money, no worries , no robbery just kindness. What a wonderful life…..  (Obviously not read Hobbes’ Leviathan)
  
• I would rebuild New Orleans and retire on a farm. (You’ll have to be REALLY kind to rebuild a city)
  
• If kindness were currency I’d pay for everyone around the world to have expensive cancer drugs that they can’t currently get. I’d do anything for that. I’d even be kind to spiders by giving them flies to eat, and not screaming loudly when I see them and not dusting away their webs. (Sure, let’s ask drugs companies to give away years of R&D in exchange for Polly being nice to spiders, “Hold please….” )
  
• I would buy enough chocolate for everyone and distribute it when it was needed (You’d buy chocolate? with money? isn’t that against the rules?)

Well thanks Absolut for providing us with some amusement, but please stick to marketing campaigns that don’t patronise us or try to turn us into hippies – it doesn’t suit you.

Top-Selling Caribbean Rum Named Official Spirits Sponsor of 2009 and 2010 AVP Crocs Tour Seasons

NEW YORK, April 30 /PRNewswire/ — As the weather heats up, rum cocktails and beach volleyball will play a winning game, as two great summer traditions come together in a tour de force of sand, surf, sunshine and spirits. Today, Malibu(R), the number one selling Caribbean Rum with natural Coconut Flavor, has been named the official spirits sponsor of the AVP Crocs Tour for the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

Featuring more than 150 of the top male and female pro beach volleyball competitors, the 16-venue event series will deliver “amazing athletic contests surrounded by unforgettable beach parties this Spring and Summer,” said Jason Hodell, CEO, AVP Pro Beach Volleyball.

“Beach volleyball is not just a sport played by top professional athletes,” Hodell said. “It is a lifestyle, and the Malibu brand embodies all that which is associated with the AVP…the beach, the fun atmosphere and that little bit of Southern California that we bring to all our tour stops. We are looking forward to working with Malibu Rum to create some great brand activation activities for all our adult fans nationwide.”

As the official and exclusive spirits sponsor, Malibu will be integrated into the nationally televised AVP events that will air on NBC, Universal Sports or cable networks, through visible signage, lifestyle shots from the sponsor village and suite and other on-screen exposure. In addition, the sponsorship includes extensive on-site signage, a Malibu ‘Get Your Island On’ cabana in the sponsor village where guests (LDA+) can enjoy interactive games, contests, special promotions and sample delicious Malibu cocktails, a full hospitality suite and player “meet and greets.” Malibu is supporting the program with local advertising, on-premise bar night activity and retail display programming materials.

“Volleyball and Malibu are a natural partnership, given the evocative nature of both in elevating the summer experience,” said Lisa McCann, Senior Brand Manager, Malibu Rum. “We feel this partnership is perfectly aligned with Malibu’s vibrant and energetic island spirit and is a fantastic opportunity for the brand to engage and sample consumers in a relevant environment,” added McCann.

The schedule of the 2009 AVP Beach Volleyball tour is as follows:

DATE: MARKET: Location: March 27-29 Panama City Beach, Beach (Sharky’s) FL April 17-19 Riverside, CA Non-Beach: 3300 Market Street May 1-May 3 San Diego, CA Harrah’s Rincon Casino May 15-17 Houston, TX Westside Tennis Center May 22-24 Huntington Beach, CA South Side of Huntington Beach Pier 285 May 29-31 Atlanta, GA Atlantic Station June 19-21 Ocean City, MD Beach: North side of Ocean City Pier July 3-5 Coney Island, NY 21st Street and Surf Ave. July 17-19 Manhattan Beach, CA South Side of Manhattan Beach Pier10 Aug 7-9 Hermosa Beach, CA North Side of Hermosa Beach Pier Aug 14-16 San Francisco, CA Pier 30/32, San Francisco Aug 21-23 Muskegon, MI Pere Marquette Aug 28-30 Chicago, IL Oak Street Beach, 1001 N Lakeshore Drive Sept 4-6 Cincinnati, OH Lindner Family Tennis Center Sept 17-19 Las Vegas, NV Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Sept 24-26 Glendale, AZ Westgate City Center

About Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard USA is the premium spirits and wine company in the U.S., and the largest subsidiary of Paris, France-based Pernod Ricard SA. In July, 2008, Pernod Ricard completed the acquisition of the iconic ABSOLUT(R) Vodka brand from the V&S Group, and Pernod Ricard USA is now the second-leading company in the U.S. by sales value. In addition to ABSOLUT(R), Pernod Ricard USA’s leading brands include such prestigious spirits as The Glenlivet(R) Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Chivas Regal(R) Scotch Whisky, Jameson(R) Irish Whiskey, Wild Turkey(R) Bourbon, Seagram’s Extra Dry Gin(R), Beefeater(R) Gin, Plymouth(TM) Gin, Martell(R) Cognac, Malibu(R) flavored Rum, Kahlua(R) Liqueur, Hiram Walker(R) Liqueurs, Pernod(R) and Ricard(R); such superior wines as Jacob’s Creek(R) and Brancott Estate(R); and such exquisite champagnes and sparkling wines as Perrier Jouet(R) Champagne, G.H. Mumm(TM) Champagne and Mumm Napa(R) sparkling wines.

The company is based in Purchase, New York, and has roughly 1,000 employees across the country. Pernod Ricard USA urges all adults to consume its products responsibly and has an active campaign to promote responsible drinking. For more information on this, please visit: www.acceptresponsibility.org.

About AVP, Inc.:

AVP, Inc. is a leading lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution of professional beach volleyball events worldwide. One of the fastest growing entities in the sports world, the AVP operates two of the industry’s most prominent national outdoor touring series, the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour (1983) and the AVP Hot Winter Nights Indoor Tour (launched in 2008). The AVP is set to stage more than 35 events throughout the United States in 2009 and features more than 150 of the top men and women competitors in the sport. AVP athletes won both the women’s and men’s gold medals at the 2008 Games in Beijing, marking the first gold medal sweep by a single country in the history of Olympic Beach Volleyball. AVP is headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif. For more information, please visit www.avp.com.

Pernod Ricard USA

Sarah Bessette
sarah.bessette@pernod-ricard-usa.com

 +1-646-746-9076

http://www.acceptresponsibility.org/

CAMPARI ACQUIRES WILD TURKEY - photo via Newscom

Group’s Largest-Ever Buy Boosts Strong Position in US and International Premium Spirits Markets

Highlights – Acquisition of Wild Turkey, the Number 1 Premium Brand of Authentic Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Campari’s Largest Acquisition to Date – A Unique Opportunity to Enter the Attractive and Growing Bourbon Whiskey Category – High Quality Brand Franchise With Strong Upside Potential – Significantly Strengthens Critical Mass and Portfolio Appeal in Highly Profitable US Market – Provides Foundation for Establishing Distribution Platform in Attractive Australian Market – Purchase Price of US$ 575 Million (or EUR 433 Million at Current Exchange Rate)

MILAN, April 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Gruppo Campari announces it has signed an agreement to acquire Wild Turkey from Pernod Ricard, marking the largest acquisition in Campari’s history and cementing its position as a leading company in the US and international premium spirits markets.

The acquired business includes the Wild Turkey brands, American Honey liqueur, distillery facilities in Kentucky, USA, and aged liquid and finished product inventory.

The total purchase price for the acquisition is US$ 575 million (or EUR 433 million at current exchange rate), corresponding to 9.7 times the historic CAAP (Contribution after Advertising and Promotion expenses) and 12 times the expected EBITDA in the first 12 months following the deal’s closing. The transaction, subject to antitrust approvals, is expected to close prior to June 30, 2009 and the consideration will be paid for in cash.

Following this acquisition, the weight of the Group’s business outside Italy is expected to increase to almost two-thirds of its sales.

Bob Kunze-Concewitz, Chief Executive Officer: “With Wild Turkey Campari adds a brand of strategic relevance to its portfolio and further enhances its premium offering. This acquisition is another key step in the building of a leading player in the global spirits industry. It is a unique opportunity to enter the attractive bourbon whiskey category and exploit its growth potential through a global and leading brand. The transaction demonstrates our commitment, in line with our strategy, of continuing growth in the profitable US spirits market. In addition, Campari expands its presence in key international markets such as Australia, where the acquisition provides the foundation for establishing its own distribution platform, and Japan.”

Classic spirit of Campari mingles with rich Bourbon heritage

·         Campari – Bourbon & Whiskey Cocktail Recipes – Campari Cocktails using bourbon & whiskey spirits in honor of Bourbon Heritage Month.

Campari cocktail recipes for sophisticated summertime refreshment

·         Campari Summer Cocktail Recipes  – Campari drink recipes. Classic cocktails such as the Negroni and Americano with contemporary favorites from modern mixologists and bartenders.

Media enquiries:

Chiara Bressani +39-02-6225-206

Email: chiara.bressani@campari.com

CitySavvy, Jana Sanchez +44(0)20-7395-1000

Email: jana@citysavvy.com

 http://www.camparigroup.com

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of attending the official launch party for Beefeater 24 gin. For many cocktail writers, mixologist, bartenders, and enthusiasts, the “tea party” at Ella in New York was their first opportunity to try the product. Little secret here (ok, maybe not since I’m blogging it): it was my first chance to try it as well. Biased though I may be, I’ve got to tell you it’s fantastic! But you don’t have to believe me…take a look around online and you’ll see many others are raving about it as well.

So what is Beefeater 24 and what makes it different from the regular Beefeater Dry Gin? Created by Beefeater’s master distiller Desmond Payne, Beefeater 24 was inspired by the fact that Beefeater’s founder, James Burrough, was a prominent tea merchant. Though Beefeater 24 is made from many of the same botanicals (steeped for 24 hours—get it? 24) featured in the original, the addition of Chinese Green Tea and Japanese Sencha Tea makes for a totally different gin.

So, how about a few recipes? Here’s what they were serving up at the party:

Triple Citrus 24 by Dan Warner:

1 ½ oz. Beefeater 24
3 oz. Q Tonic Water

Build in an ice-filled Collins or highball glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel, lime wheel, and orange wheel.

24 Martini by Dan Warner:

2 oz. Beefeater 24
1/3 oz. Lillet
3 dashes Regan’s orange bitters

Stir all ingredients until ice cold. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a grapefruit twist.

The shifting Sands by Sasha Petraske:

1 ½ oz. Beefeater 24
½ oz. Maraschino Liqueur
¾ oz. grapefruit juice
½ oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
Dash of simple syrup
Top with soda water

Shake first five ingredients. Strain into an ice-filled Collins glass. Top with soda water. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge.

The launch party brought out the likes of Gary Reagan, Audrey Saunders, Simon Ford, and Charlotte Voisey, among many others. Dan Warner, brand ambassador for Beefeater, chatted up the crowd while Desmond Payne served as the honorary Mad Hatter. Check out the bartenders in their fab top-hats. It was so much fun and the drinks are so tasty—perfect for warmer weather!

Next week we’ll be examining the product even closer and creating more great cocktails so stay tuned! Chip chip cheerio!

En poäng för företag att ha en egen kundpanel är att det går snabbt att inhämta information, vanligtvis 1- 2 veckor. Men ibland kan det gå mycket snabbare än så. Vi fick ett samtal från Louise Rydåker (Manager Consumer Insights) på Pernod Ricard (före detta Vin & Sprit) som ville göra en varumärkesundersökning mot sin kundpanel som består av 1700 konsumenter. Den här gången var det verkligen brådis eftersom de behövde ett beslutsunderlag på senaste en vecka. Vi träffades på en torsdag eftermiddag och gick igenom projektet och påbörjade formuleringen av frågorna. Dan efter klockan 18:00 skickade vi ut undersökningen till kundpanelen och efter helgen på måndag morgon när Louise kom till jobbet hade 800 panelmedlemmar svarat på undersökningen. Louise fick ett mycket bra underlag till sitt beslut, baserat på kundernas synpunkter. Panelmedlemmarna får en återkoppling av resultatet så att de ser vilket beslut som fattades. Något som skapar engagemang och lojalitet. Ibland kan fort vara rätt!

The delightful Daphnee Hor from Pernod Ricard UK very kindly invited me along to see Michael Nyman and Motion Trio perform on the final night of the KINOTEKA Polish Film Festival at the Barbican Centre… it took place last night, and was TOTALLY AMAZING!! I have been a huge fan of Michael Nyman’s work for years, and want to say a big thank you to both Daphnee and all the lovely people I met from the Polish Cultural Institute. A great night and a great introduction to Polish cinema… Go discover!!

DAVID

A Campari, destilaria italiana conhecida por seu aperitivo agridoce vermelho, acertou a compra da marca de uísque Wild Turkey (o Bourbon Premium mais vendido nos EUA), da Pernod-Ricard, por US$ 575 milhões, com a qual vai ampliar suas operações nos Estados Unidos e Austrália.

A Campari também adquiriu a marca de licor American Honey, juntamente com as destilarias e os estoques existentes no Estado americano do Kentucky.

Pernod Ricard, owner of the Absolut brand plans to launch a limited edition Gay Pride Absolut in to mark the 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.

Absolut Gay Pride limited edition

“With its history of sponsorship of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy groups and LGBT-themed advertisements, Absolut is one of our community’s greatest allies,” said Neil Giuliano, president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).

For more information about the Stonewall Riots, click here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonewall_riots.