Rémy Cointreau refocusing
14 décembre 2005
Rémy Cointreau has reported a current operating result of 64.4 million euros (+6.8%) for the first half of 2005 (31.8 million euros and +11.4% for Rémy Martin cognac alone). The group is continuing to reduce its perimeter. Following the sale of its vodkas Bols, Soplica and Niagara, the group has announced that it will soon be selling the entire Bols brand (31 references of vodka and liqueurs) as well as other brands in the long term (F. Bonnet champagne). The group intends to double sales in its champagne branch within 3 years.

New worries for winegrowers in Merpins
14 décembre 2005
The Court of Cassation has reopened the case of some one hundred winegrowers in the Merpins area (Charente, edge of the Charente-Maritime) who see themselves being called to account by the Court (2.8 million euros in outstanding debts) regarding the bankruptcy of a distillery in Merpins (the Montignac distillery and the limited liability private company AJB Vieillissement) despite the fact that the growers were not even shareholders ! The fault lies with a GIE (association for developing commercial interests) set up at the time at the same address as the registered office of the distillery and which was mothballed instead of being wound up at the end of its activity.

Packaging design
7 décembre 2005
The VS Pack trade fair in Cognac on 6 and 7 December provides an opportunity to discover the latest trends in packaging design for wines and spirits. The creations of 110 students are in competition. Two students from the Limousin area have notably perfected cognac in a can, aimed at attracting young people to this drink.

Hennessy VIPS
7 décembre 2005
The 170 restaurant and bar owners in the Poitou-Charentes area who are "ambassadors" for Hennessy were recently invited on a VIP visit of the company.

Breton takes over champagne
6 décembre 2005
Pernod Ricard has just entrusted Lionel Breton, head of Martell, with the management of Champagnes Mumm Perrier-Jouet which it acquired recently with Allied Domecq. Lionel Breton is now CEO of the new company Martell Mumm Perrier-Jouet and considers that a complementary offer of "cognac and champagne" is indispensable to its development, notably in Asia.

Cognac and ... Paris
6 décembre 2005
In order to promote cognac, the Bnic was present at the Saveurs trade fair last weekend in Paris.

New president for Oreco
6 décembre 2005
J.-D. Fougère has succeeded B. de Massol at the head of Oreco, which stocks 12% of eaux-de-vie in the region, with turnover in 2003 of 8.5M €.

Other spirits news
6 décembre 2005
The Agency for Industry, Research and the Environment (DRIRE) has just classified the Hennessy storage facility at Cherves-Richemont at high Seveso threshold. Patrick Brisset, a wine grower (St-Preuil) and creator of the liqueur "L’Orange bleue" is launching a vodka.

Hennessy : fines for 2 counterfeiters
6 décembre 2005
A court in Shanghai recently fined two Chinese companies 300,000 yuans (21,542 euros) for having produced "French brandy cognacs" in China called "Hanlissy" and "Henglishi".

VS Pack wraps up the spirits
6 décembre 2005
Over 2000 visitors are expected at Cognac (Charente) on Tuesday and Wednesday for VS Pack, the packaging trade fair for wines and spirits organized by Atlanpack at the Espace 3000 in Cognac. Almost 90 French SMEs are exhibiting their know-how, including 25 companies from the Charente. Packaging represents 7000 jobs in the Charente. Last Monday, the education validation commission at the University of Poitiers gave its approval to the principle of opening a Master diploma (bac+5) in "marketing, strategy, design and packaging" in Angoulême.