Profile and strategy

—Created by the link-up between Pernod and Ricard in 1975, Pernod Ricard has based its development on both organic growth and acquisitions. The purchase of part of the Seagram businesses (2001) and the acquisitions of Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008) have propelled the Group to the position of leader in the Premium segment and world co-leader in Wines & Spirits.

Pernod Ricard’s strength is based on six solid fundamentals:

With leading brands in each category, Pernod Ricard holds one of the most comprehensive and Premium portfolios in the industry including ABSOLUT, Ricard anise and Scotch whiskies led by Chivas Regal, as well as Ballantine’s, The Glenlivet, and Royal Salute, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Kahlúa and Malibu liqueurs, Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes and Jacob’s Creek, Brancott (formerly Montana), Campo Viejo and Graffigna wines.

Pernod Ricard has made upscaling its brands and creating more Premium categories its strategic priority. This approach, known as ‘Premiumisation’, generates greater profitability and is underpinned by substantial marketing expenditure. As a recognised brand-builder Pernod Ricard understands the importance of innovation as a driver of growth. From product extensions to new digital media and event planning, innovation is not limited to marketing—it infiltrates every area in the company: Sales, Human Resources, Production, and Finance.

The Pernod Ricard organisation is made up of Brand Companies and Market Companies representing more than 18,000 employees in 70 countries. The Market Companies locally adapt the global strategy defined by the Brand Companies. This flexible and responsive organisation guarantees the best understanding of the specifics of each market and the expectations of its consumers. It is supported by complete control of distribution in the form of a proprietary global distribution network.

Pernod Ricard is now a major player in mature markets, and in recent years has become the industry leader in Asia, holding the leading position in China and India. This provides Pernod Ricard with a competitive edge that allows it to leverage future sources of growth in the industry.

In a decentralised organisation, it is corporate culture that binds the whole. The Pernod Ricard spirit is best captured by the Group’s own byword: ‘Conviviality’. This is reflected in the new corporate tagline, ‘Créateurs de convivialité’. It is both a managerial approach, built around simple, direct relationships between employees, and a sentiment that each of the Group’s brands strives to create with its consumers. The culture relies on three values: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust, and a sense of ethics.

For several decades, the Group has been committed to a policy of social responsibility. Today, this policy embraces three priorities: responsible drinking, environmental ethics, and the development of cultural initiatives or social entrepreneurial projects.