A return to growth for all its Scotch whisky brands, including Chivas Regal and The Glenlivet, helped overall sales rise by 6% at French drink giant Pernod Ricard during its latest financial year.
The Paris-based company, the world’s second-largest distiller by volume, also revealed a 6.3% year-on-year organic increase in profits to £2.1 billion in results for the 12 months to the end of June.
With a portfolio that also includes Ballantine’s Scotch, Jameson Irish whiskey, Absolut vodka and Martell cognac, group sales grew to £8.1billion, driven largely by rising demand in China and India.
Pernod Ricard chairman and chief executive Alexandre Ricard said the company had achieved “significant improvement in business performance” during a “very strong year”.
Overall, sales at the group’s Chivas Brothers Scotch whisky business were up 3%, having been “stable” the previous year.
Figures for Chivas Regal blended whisky, made at the Strathisla distillery in Keith, and The Glenlivet single malt, distilled near Ballindalloch, increased by 5%.
Star performers among the group’s 13 “strategic international brands” in its 2017/18 trading year were Jameson and Martell, which each saw 14% organic sales growth.
Only Royal Salute whisky, also from Strathisla, and Ricard pastis saw a fall in demand, down 2% and 6%, respectively.
Mr Ricard said: “This was a strong year. Consistent strategic implementation has enabled us to deliver a significant improvement in business performance, while investing for the future.
“Our sales have accelerated and diversified, and our margins improved.”
He added that during “a still uncertain geopolitical and monetary environment” the company would “continue consistently implementing our strategy” during its current financial year.
Scottish subsidiary Chivas Brothers employs about 1,600 people at 29 sites, including distilleries in Speyside, Keith and Orkney.
Earlier this year, Pernod Ricard announced Laurent Lacassagne, Chivas Brothers’ chairman and chief executive since 2013, had stepped down and was being replaced by Jean-Christophe Coutures, who had been heading its Irish Distillers Division.
The move was part of a raft of senior management changes at the group, which was established more than 40 years ago.
