IDL’s spirits sales up 4% here
IDL’s premium spirits brands also recorded strong growth in net sales during the company’s H1, with Jameson showing growth of 5% and net sales of Powers jumping by 11%.
But while IDL’s “Prestige” Irish whiskeys grew 30% the company’s “premium gin” sales reflected the boom in gin sales here with growth up 29%. Its “premium vodka” sales were up 5%.
Global sales
Globally, sales of Jameson grew 11% in volume and 12% in value, breaking the four million case milestone during H1 which bodes well for topping its 7.5 million annual case sales to date.
“Jameson, which has been driving the growth of the category for the past 28 years, continues to thrive and is now in double- or triple-digit growth in 80 markets across the world,” commented IDL’s Chairman and Chief Executive Jean-Christophe Coutures, “While the growth has been driven by the USA, Europe, Africa and the Middle East we have also seen a particularly strong growth coming in the Asian and Latin American markets.”
However he added a note of caution regarding the domestic threat to the success of the Irish whiskey globally.
“It’s important to note the global success of Irish whiskey is in danger of being undermined by developments in Ireland, most notably the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill.
“The unintended negative consequences from the advertising measures being proposed will undermine the industry’s ability to trial innovative new products in Ireland and prove that they are export ready.
“The labelling requirements will act as a severe barrier to entry for new companies and will also cause serious reputational damage to Ireland’s premium drinks products.
“The measures in the bill run the risk of needlessly endangering one of Ireland’s biggest export successes and damaging future innovation, job growth and economic contributions.”
Pernod Ricard’s general results for H1 indicate a reported growth of just 0.4% to €5.08 billion in sales compared to the same period the previous year of €5.06 billion, but this represents an organic growth of 5.1% when foreign exchange losses are factored out.
Conor McQuaid appointed new Chairman & Chief Executive
Pernod-Ricard has also announced that Conor McQuaid is to replace Jean-Christophe Coutures as Chief Executive and Chairman at IDL on July 1st. After spending two years as Chief Executive here, Jean-Christophe will take over the role of Chief Executive and Chairman of Pernod Ricard’s scotch whisky business Chivas Brothers.
Conor McQuaid currently serves as Executive Vice President of Global Business Development at Pernod Ricard having joined Irish Distillers as Regional Manager for Southern Europe in 1998. Conor has worked across the Pernod Ricard group for almost 20 years and will take up his appointment on July 1st, 2018.
