- Twelve-month sales inch up 1.5% (reported) to EUR1.25bn (US$1.42bn)
- Crémant flagged as one to watch for future sparkling wine growth
Henkell Freixenet has emphasised the potential for prosecco, alcohol-free wine and aperitifs in its full-year results, which showed a slight lift on 2023.
The privately-owned company saw its top line in the 12 months of 2024 increase by 1.5%, a slowing of the previous year’s +4.1% performance. Collectively, the flagship Mionetto, Freixenet and Henkell brands posted a rise of 6%.
[Note: All figures refer to performance in reported terms, which include foreign exchange fluctuations.)
The headlines geographically were stolen by the group’s ‘Americas’ and ‘Eastern Europe’ reporting regions; the former, which was up 7% year-on-year, saw Mionetto buck the “declining sparkling wine market in the US”, while the former, rising by 5.6%, was bolstered by healthy demand for sparkling wine in Poland.
Closer to home, the German-Spanish business paused the marketing for its Freixenet cava in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (‘DACH’), which contributed to a 1.7% sales decrease. ‘Western Europe’, meanwhile, came in flat at +0.8%, although the ongoing strength of the crémant segment in the region was noted.
Of the challenges that featured in 2024, Henkell Freixenet flagged the impact of longstanding drought conditions on cava production. “In 2024, we had to reallocate volumes due to a lack of availability in numerous markets,” said CEO Andreas Brokemper. “To meet the high demand for Freixenet Carta in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, we have launched the Freixenet Premium Sparkling Wine.”
Brokemper also referenced the “tense market conditions for the global sparkling wine, wine and spirits industry” last year. “Despite the declining markets, Henkell Freixenet was able to maintain its position by focusing on consumer needs and consistently pursuing strong trends in the sparkling wine segment,” he said.
“This resulted in dynamic growth in sub-categories such as prosecco, alcohol-free sparkling wines and aperitifs.”
