PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:
Press Release – Paris, 5 March 2020
Pernod Ricard (Paris:RI) is delighted to announce the signing of an agreement for a significant investment in KI NO BI Kyoto Dry Gin. The investment will be used primarily to build a new, state-of-the-art, distillery to meet the growing demand for KI NO BI ultra-premium gin.
KI NO BI is a small-batch, artisanal gin with a Japanese heart. Distilled at Japan’s first dedicated gin distillery, built in Kyoto in 2014, it is made with obsessive attention to detail, care and precision, from a high-quality rice spirit and Japanese botanicals such as yuzu, lemon, sansho pepper, ginger and gyokuro tea. KI NO BI has been carefully crafted to ensure perfect harmony between its various botanicals and its Kyoto origins. KI NO BI has a recognisable dry gin flavour with a Japanese accent: pure, perfectly balanced with distinctive aromas and a lingering finish of light ginger.
As was the case with previous successful partnerships such as Monkey 47 ultra-premium gin, Smooth Ambler West Virginian whiskey, Del Maguey mezcal or Rabbit Hole bourbon, Pernod Ricard is joining forces with passionate entrepreneurs: David Croll, Noriko Kakuda Croll and Marcin Miller. They will remain fully invested in the business and will work closely with their new partner in developing distribution channels worldwide.
Driven by the rise of mixology, the ultra-premium gin category has been experiencing uninterrupted dynamism. KI NO BI will immediately join The Pernod Ricard Gin Hub and reinforce its prestigious stable of international brands such as Beefeater, Plymouth, Malfy and Monkey 47. Together with Monkey 47, KI NO BI will form a powerful repertoire to optimise the growth opportunity in ultra-premium gin.
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.
David Croll, CEO of The Kyoto Distillery, stated: “We are delighted that Pernod Ricard appreciates the unique qualities of Japan’s first ultra-premium gin which we have created with the support and cooperation of Kyoto’s cultural and agricultural communities.”
Marcin Miller, Chairman of The Kyoto Distillery, added: “Having been fortunate enough to work with Pernod Ricard in the past, I am extremely enthusiastic about the wealth of expertise and experience that will ensure this strategic partnership will deliver great success for KI NO BI.”
For Alexandre Ricard, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Pernod Ricard: “We are thrilled to welcome this one-of-a-kind brand to our portfolio. KI NO BI’s unique origins and taste profile make it a perfect complement to The Gin Hub’s extensive stable of brands. I am excited for Pernod Ricard to be part of its ongoing development.”
About Pernod Ricard
Pernod Ricard is the No.2 worldwide producer of wines and spirits with consolidated sales of €9,182 million in FY19. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has developed through organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard, which owns 16 of the Top 100 Spirits Brands, holds one of the most prestigious and comprehensive brand portfolios in the industry, including: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo, and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard’s brands are distributed across over 160 markets, and by its own direct salesforce in 73 markets. The Group’s decentralised organisation empowers its 19,000 employees to be true on-the-ground ambassadors of its vision of “Créateurs de Convivialité.” As reaffirmed by the Group’s three-year strategic plan, “Transform and Accelerate,” deployed in 2018, Pernod Ricard’s strategy focuses on investing in long-term, profitable growth for all stakeholders. The Group remains true to its three founding values: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust, and a strong sense of ethics. As illustrated by the 2030 roadmap supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), “We bring good times from a good place.” In recognition of Pernod Ricard’s strong commitment to sustainable development and responsible consumption, it has received a Gold rating from Ecovadis and is ranked No. 1 in Vigeo Eiris for the beverage sector. Pernod Ricard is also a United Nation’s Global Compact LEAD company. Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN Code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index.
About The Kyoto Distillery and KI NO BI
The Kyoto Distillery was established in Japan on 1st December 2014 as a wholly-owned division of Number One Drinks Company by David Croll, Noriko Kakuda Croll and Marcin Miller.
KI NO BI was named Contemporary Gin of the Year by the International Wine & Spirits Competition 2018.
The Kyoto Distillery was awarded International Gin Distiller of the Year (IWSC 2018) and Craft Producer of the Year (Icons of Gin 2019)
