A focus on portfolio management has helped Remy Cointreau’s ‘Liqueurs & Spirits’ operations outstrip the group’s dominant Cognac division in recent results.
Speaking on the post-results conference call with analysts late last week, CEO Eric Vallat claimed the brand owner has “unlocked the growth potential of our global priority brands beyond Cognac”. Supporting the claim was the stronger growth rate in the 12 months to the end of March for Remy’s ‘Liqueurs & Spirits’ unit, which includes liqueur brand Cointreau and Scottish gin The Botanist, compared to the Cognac portfolio.
“Cointreau sales were up at more than 35% versus last year worldwide and at more than 40% versus two years ago,” Vallat said on the call. “The Botanist grew at around 50% versus last year, and … our single malt whiskies increased by more than 30% versus last year, and by more than 45% versus 2 years ago.
“For the first time since long [sic], our Liqueurs & Spirits division grew faster than our Cognac division.”
Remy’s Cognac stable accounted for 72% of group sales in fiscal-2022, with ‘Liqueurs & Spirits’ making up 25%.
The company, which saw 12-month sales come in 27.3% up on the corresponding year in 2020-21, has divided its portfolio into three units: ‘global priority brands’, regional power brands’ and ‘incubator brands’. On the regional side, Tallat hailed the successes for Telmont Champagne, acquired in late-2020, having “totally rethought” its brand positioning.
Turning to Remy’s sustainability moves, Tallat said that 76% of the group’s bottles are “now naked”, compared to 21% in fiscal-2020. Moving forward, the company is aiming to have removed gift boxes from 85% of its bottles by 2025.
Consumer experience will be the focus for alcohol e-commerce in 2022 – Drizly
