Pernod Ricard to Sell Becherovka Iconic Czech Bitter to Maspex Group

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:

Pernod Ricard (Paris:RI) signed today an agreement to sell the Becherovka brand and related assets (including the production and logistics facilities in Karlovy Vary) to Maspex Group. The closing of the transaction remains subject to customary conditions and is expected to occur before the end of June 2024.

Becherovka is an iconic Czech bitter created in 1807 whose original and unchanged recipe combines approximately 20 herbs and spices. Produced in the town of Karlovy Vary, where it holds its own visitor center, the herbal liqueur is one of the global leading bitter brands, especially across central Europe. The core original brand success has been progressively expanded over recent years with several innovative variations, such as Becherovka Lemond or Becherovka Unfiltered.

Krzysztof Pawinski, CEO of Maspex Group stated: “Becherovka is a heritage brand deeply rooted in local tradition with great growth potential. It is our 21^st transaction overall and the 2^nd deal in the spirits segment – a category where we see vast opportunities. We would like to thank Pernod Ricard for their trust in our vision and all the parties supporting us in this competitive auction.”

For Fabrice Audan, CEO of Pernod Ricard Wyborowa and of Pernod Ricard Central & Eastern Europe management entity, “The sale of Becherovka is part of our active portfolio management and we will remain focused on our strong ambitions in Europe with a sharpened portfolio strategy. We wish the new owner of this iconic brand to build on the strong success we have paved over the years.”

About Pernod Ricard:

Pernod Ricard is a worldwide leader in the spirits and wine industry, blending traditional craftsmanship, state-of-the-art brand development, and global distribution technologies. Our prestigious portfolio of premium to luxury brands includes Absolut vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur and Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes. Our mission is to ensure the long-term growth of our brands with full respect for people and the environment, while empowering our employees around the world to be ambassadors of our purposeful, inclusive and responsible culture of authentic conviviality. Pernod Ricard’s consolidated sales amounted to € 12,137 million in fiscal year FY23.
Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN Code:FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 and Eurostoxx 50 indices.

About Maspex Group:

Maspex is the largest private Polish company in the food industry and one of the largest in Eastern Europe. The company has nearly 70 brands in its portfolio, and its products are present in over 70 countries worldwide. Tymbark, Kubuś, Lubella, Łowicz, Krakus, Kotlin, Puchatek, DecoMorreno, Cremona, Plusssz, and La Festa, Relax, Bucovina, River, Queens, Olympos, Apenta, Vellingrad are mostly market leaders, brands most valued in their categories by consumers in Poland and in the Central and Eastern European countries. In the spirits market, Maspex has been present since 2022 when it acquired CEDC, a leader in the vodka market and the largest importer of foreign alcohols in Poland. It has a portfolio of iconic and historic vodka brands such as Żubrówka (a legendary Polish brand with nearly 500 years of tradition, ranked 3rd in global vodka market volume, present in nearly 90 markets), Soplica (worldwide No. 8), Absolwent, and Bols. Products from Maspex's portfolio are manufactured in 17 modern production facilities in Poland and abroad. They produce 2.2 billion liters of juices, nectars, and beverages annually, over 280 thousand tons of pasta, grain, and instant products, nearly 180 thousand tons of jams and preserves, and 155 million liters of alcohol. Maspex focuses on organic growth and acquisitions. The company purchases 380 thousand tons of fruits and vegetables from Polish farmers annually and 130 thousand tons of wheat. In 2022, the company's sales revenue exceeded 14 billion PLN.