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Old Pulteney,
Speyburn, Balblair and anCnoc owners,
International Beverage, set to acquire
Larsen Cognac.
In whisky
business news this week, International
Beverage, who boasts Scotch blended
whisky brand Hankey Bannister and the
Scotch single malt whiskies Old
Pulteney, Speyburn, Balblair, anCnoc as
part of its portfolio has finalised an
agreement with Anora Group plc for the
acquisition of their Larsen Cognac
business.
This comprehensive acquisition
encompasses Larsen's production facility
and inventory of maturing eau-de-vie in
Cognac, France. It also includes
ownership of the cognac brands Larsen,
Renault, and Monopol, in addition to the
brandy label, Ibis.
This strategic move is integral to
International Beverage's plan to
diversify its portfolio with premium
spirits brands and reinforce its global
distribution channels to facilitate
worldwide growth. Notably, this marks
the company's inaugural venture into the
Cognac category, a sector projected by
the IWSR to witness a continuous
increase in global sales, with a
Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5%
in volume and 7% in value between now
and 2026.
Anora, which has held ownership of
Larsen Cognac since 2013, will retain
its role as the exclusive distributor
for the Larsen, Renault, Monopol, and
Ibis brands across the Nordic and Baltic
regions, encompassing travel retail and
duty-free channels.
Founded in 1926 by Norwegian explorer
Jens Reidar Larsen after settling in
South West France, Larsen Cognac stands
as a testament to the enduring success
of brandy. It boasts a portfolio of
acclaimed expressions and a reserve of
aged eau-de-vie accumulated over three
generations, ensuring the future
production quality.
The agreed-upon enterprise value for
this acquisition is EUR 54.1 million and
is subject to standard closing
conditions. The closing of this
transaction is anticipated to occur at
the end of September 2023.
Following the completion of this
transaction, International Beverage will
concentrate on enhancing Larsen's market
presence through its global network of
distribution partners, with a particular
emphasis on key export markets in Asia.
This includes China and Hong Kong, where
International Beverage already owns a
premium spirits distribution business,
AsiaEuro International Beverage (AIB),
through a joint venture.
 International Beverage (UK), Managing
Director, Malcolm Leask said: "We are
delighted to welcome Larsen Cognac and
their team to International Beverage,
along with the Renault, Monopol and Ibis
brands. Cognac is one of the most
dynamic categories in spirits today, and
we are extremely proud to have such an
admired brand and skilled production
team joining our business. The Larsen
team’s dedication to excellence aligns
perfectly with our ethos, and the
quality of their portfolio is a perfect
complement to our existing whisky, gin,
and rum brands. This acquisition also
marks the start of a new era for
International Beverage, and a strategy
that will see us add high quality brands
across a range of categories and markets
to take our business to the next level."
Being a fully-owned subsidiary of Thai
Beverage Public Company Limited, the
prominent beverage producer and
distributor in Southeast Asia,
International Beverage already serves as
a distributor for Larsen Cognac in China
and Hong Kong through its subsidiary,
AsiaEuro International Beverage (AIB).
This existing arrangement underscores
their comprehensive knowledge and
familiarity with the brand.
Will be be seeing some Old Pulteney,
Speyburn, Balblair or anCnoc single malt
releases in the future which have been
matured or finished in ex-Larsen Cognac
casks, maybe, Inter Bev have certainly
got their choice of casks now.
You will find International Beverages
portfolio of Scotch whiskies available from specialist online whisky
shops such as
The Whisky Exchange
and
Master of Malt
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