The arrangement between the two companies, which was announced in late 2022, will extend beyond the UK on-premise to venues in the US state through EcoSpirits’ facility in Las Vegas. Cointreau will be rolled out to bars and restaurants in Nevada in the coming weeks ahead of a wider roll-out “across the country”.
According to the owner of the Ecotote patent, Cointreau will be “the first global brand available in the … format in the US”.
At the same time, the pilot that commenced in the UK last year, featuring Cointreau and Mount Gay rum, will be the subject of a “commercial scale-up” to more on-premise operators in the country.
Both development come under a four-year global licensing agreement, announced this week.
“This first pilot, successfully led by both our teams, is now ready to expand not only in other key British cities but also in one of the group’s leading markets, the US,” said Rémy Cointreau’s liqueurs & spirits CEO, Élisabeth Tona. “This initiative is a great example of how our group and its partners can collectively contribute to reduce single-use glass bottles.”
Ecospirits CEO Paul Gabie added: “Rémy Cointreau was our first global brand partner in the UK and we are delighted this relationship is now being taken to the next level with a deeper commitment to the circular economy and plans to expand significantly, not only within the UK, but other global markets.”
Pernod Ricard bought an unspecified size minority stake in Ecospirits just over a year ago. The Absolut and Beefeater brand owner is conducting a trial along the same lines in Hong Kong and Singapore, while Diageo is also using the technology in 18 countries. The Ecotote is now available in 27 markets worldwide.
