Pernod Ricard, France’s largest spirits maker, is busy raiding America’s liquor cabinet.
In 2019, the purveyor of Absolut vodka and Jameson Irish whiskey has bought Jefferson’s Bourbon, Firestone & Robertson Distilling, and a majority share of Rabbit Hole Distillery, all bets on America’s whiskey boom. This comes on top of recent new vodka distillery openings in New York and Los Angeles and the purchase of a big stake in whiskey maker Smooth Ambler.
Pernod Ricard has spent over $500 million on acquisitions in the U.S. market alone the past few years. The liquor giant is making these investment stateside because the nation is the largest market for liquor sales. But Pernod’s foothold there is actually below its global market share.