New brands, blended whisky and the on-trade key to Pernod Ricard strategy

Managing director Denis O’Flynn was talking to the Publican’s Morning Advertiser​ ahead of the launch of a new strategy for the company, in which he also pledged to:

• Become the number one wine company and number two spirits company in the UK
• Launch at least two new brands every year
• Double the distribution of Chivas Regal in 2014 and again in 2015

O’Flynn said boosting the Chivas Regal brand had become a “personal crusade”.

“There is a lack of appreciation and a lack of understanding about deluxe blended whisky in the UK,” he said.

Precious​

Malibu, Havana Club and Jameson whiskey were also singled out as key spirit brands in which the company will be over-investing in the next few years. While Spanish wine Campo Viejo and Argentinian brand Graffigna have been earmarked for attention on the wine side.

“CGA have identified some on-trade areas on which we need to focus, namely premium cocktail bars and mainstream managed groups,” he said.

“If you were being critical of our approach in the past you might say that we were perhaps too precious about our brands. What we have had to realise is consumers of premium brands frequent a number of different types of outlet and we therefore need to have that broader base too.”

The company is aiming to focus more on generating brand “experiences” in pubs and bars and is working on glassware and unusual serving vessels, beer cocktails, wine cocktails, beer and whisky matching and spirits and food matching initiatives as part of this.

O’Flynn first spoke to the PMA​ about his plans for a new on-trade focus early in the Autumn.