LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BFB) (NYSE:BFA) announced today that it will establish its own distribution organization in Spain, effective July 1, 2017. Spain will join Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Mexico, Poland, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, and the U.K. as markets in which Brown-Forman owns or directly manages its own distribution.
Brown-Forman’s current distribution arrangement in Spain with Importaciones y Exportaciones Varma S.A. will conclude June 30, 2017. “Brown-Forman has had a long and successful relationship with Varma, one of the leading distribution companies in Spain, and we thank them for their careful stewardship of our brands. We look forward to working closely together during the remainder of our partnership to ensure a smooth business transition,” said Ramón Valdelomar, General Manager of Brown-Forman South West Europe.
“Spain is the world’s ninth largest whiskey market and the third largest whiskey market in Europe. We believe there is significant potential for Jack Daniel’s and our other whiskey brands in Spain. Establishing our own distribution organization in Spain will support the development of the Jack Daniel’s trademark as well as our broader portfolio in this dynamic market where premium spirits are growing," said Thomas Hinrichs, Brown-Forman President, Europe and Asia.
In connection with its move to owned distribution, Brown-Forman Spain expects to add approximately 40 employees to its organization. Brown-Forman’s brands have been available in Spain since the early 1980s; the portfolio today is led by the company’s flagship brand, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey. Other brands include Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, Woodford Reserve, Herradura, el Jimador, Finlandia Vodka, Jack & Cola RTDs, and super premium and special editions for the Jack Daniel’s trademark.
For more than 145 years, Brown-Forman Corporation has enriched the experience of life by responsibly building fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s & Cola, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, Finlandia, Korbel, el Jimador, Woodford Reserve, Canadian Mist, Herradura, New Mix, Sonoma-Cutrer, Early Times, and Chambord. Brown-Forman’s brands are supported by nearly 4,600 employees and sold in approximately 160 countries worldwide. For more information about the company, please visit http://www.brown-forman.com/.
This press release contains statements, estimates, and projections that are “forward-looking statements” as defined under U.S. federal securities laws. Words such as “aim,” “anticipate,” “aspire,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “envision,” “estimate,” “expect,” “expectation,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “project,” “pursue,” “see,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” and similar words identify forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date we make them. Except as required by law, we do not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors (many beyond our control) that could cause our actual results to differ materially from our historical experience or from our current expectations or projections. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to:
- Unfavorable global or regional economic conditions, and related low consumer confidence, high unemployment, weak credit or capital markets, budget deficits, burdensome government debt, austerity measures, higher interest rates, higher taxes, political instability, higher inflation, deflation, lower returns on pension assets, or lower discount rates for pension obligations
- Risks associated with being a U.S.-based company with global operations, including commercial, political and financial risks; local labor policies and conditions; protectionist trade policies or economic or trade sanctions; compliance with local trade practices and other regulations, including anti-corruption laws; terrorism; and health pandemics
- Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, particularly a stronger U.S. dollar
- Changes in laws, regulations, or policies - especially those that affect the production, importation, marketing, labeling, pricing, distribution, sale, or consumption of our beverage alcohol products
- Tax rate changes (including excise, sales, VAT, tariffs, duties, corporate, individual income, dividends, capital gains) or changes in related reserves, changes in tax rules (for example, LIFO, foreign income deferral, U.S. manufacturing and other deductions) or accounting standards, and the unpredictability and suddenness with which they can occur
- Dependence upon the continued growth of the Jack Daniel’s family of brands
- Changes in consumer preferences, consumption or purchase patterns - particularly away from larger producers in favor of smaller distilleries or local producers, or away from brown spirits, our premium products, or spirits generally, and our ability to anticipate or react to them; bar, restaurant, travel or other on-premise declines; shifts in demographic trends; unfavorable consumer reaction to new products, line extensions, package changes, product reformulations, or other product innovation
- Decline in the social acceptability of beverage alcohol products in significant markets
- Production facility, aging warehouse or supply chain disruption
- Imprecision in supply/demand forecasting
- Higher costs, lower quality or unavailability of energy, water, raw materials, product ingredients, labor or finished goods
- Route-to-consumer changes that affect the timing of our sales, temporarily disrupt the marketing or sale of our products, or result in higher implementation-related or fixed costs
- Inventory fluctuations in our products by distributors, wholesalers, or retailers
- Competitors’ consolidation or other competitive activities, such as pricing actions (including price reductions, promotions, discounting, couponing or free goods), marketing, category expansion, product introductions, or entry or expansion in our geographic markets or distribution networks
- Risks associated with acquisitions, dispositions, business partnerships or investments - such as acquisition integration, or termination difficulties or costs, or impairment in recorded value
- Inadequate protection of our intellectual property rights
- Product recalls or other product liability claims; product counterfeiting, tampering, contamination, or product quality issues
- Significant legal disputes and proceedings; government investigations (particularly of industry or company business, trade or marketing practices)
- Failure or breach of key information technology systems
- Negative publicity related to our company, brands, marketing, personnel, operations, business performance or prospects
- Failure to attract or retain key executive or employee talent
- Our status as a family “controlled company” under New York Stock Exchange rules
For further information on these and other risks, please refer to the “Risk Factors” section of our annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC.
