Pernod Ricard’s US division is to set up a “business unit” for the group’s American whiskey brands, along similar lines to recent moves with its gin and Tequila portfolios.
‘The American Whiskey Collective’ will be based at Pernod Ricard USA’s headquarters in New York. The sub-unit, which sits alongside the ‘Gin Hub’ and ‘House of Tequila’, will be headed up by Craig Johnson, currently VP of marketing for Scotch, American whiskies, Tequilas & Champagne/sparkling wine at the US division.
Johnson, who joined Pernod post-acquisition from Allied Domecq in 2004, will be supported by Jessica Chen, Pernod USA’s director of American whiskeys, who joined the group from Diageo last year. Chen will assume the new role of VP of operations.
The brands that will sit in the unit are Jefferson’s, Rabbit Hole, Smooth Ambler and TX. Kentucky-based Rabbit Hole, which was acquired three years ago, marked Pernod’s Bourbon return, following its divestment of the Wild Turkey brand to Campari Group for US$575m in 2009.
According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the US, the 'super-premium' end of the American whiskey segment is exhibiting the strongest growth in the country: Volumes between 2017 and 2021 are at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.1%, compared to 3.8% for ‘high-end premium’ and 5.7% for ‘premium’.
Overall, American whiskey is at a five-year CAGR of 5.1% in the US.
American whiskey faces challenges but its long-term outlook could scarcely be better
