Jameson global sales up 13%

Net global sales of Jameson Irish Whiskey grew by 13% year-on-year during the six months to the end of December; proving a significant driver to parent company, Pernod Ricard’s strong first-half results.

Jameson is ranked as one of the French drink giant’s top 14 premium brands and showed the third best sales increase — behind Martell cognac and scotch brand, The Glenlivet — during the period under review. Ten of Pernod Ricard’s 14 leading brands showed sales growth in its first half.

On a group-wide basis, the French group yesterday reported a 5% year-on-year increase in first-half net profit to €858m, with net sales up by 6% on an annualised basis to €4.9bn.

Regarding Jameson, the brand is now in its 24th consecutive year of growth and is experiencing double-digit percentage growth in 41 markets. Pernod Ricard’s strong first-half showing in North America was largely driven by a 24% sales rise in the US for Jameson.

According to Irish Distillers — Pernod Ricard’s business unit here — Jameson should reach its next sales milestone of five million cases by next year. The last calendar year saw it pass the four million cases mark.

Irish Distillers chief executive Anna Malmhake acknowledged Jameson as being one of the country’s most successful exports.

“As a product that is distilled, matured and bottled in Ireland, a very significant proportion of all the inputs required to produce, distribute, sell and market Jameson are Irish — from raw materials to packaging, manufacturing jobs, sales and marketing resources and shipping,” she said.

However, Ms Malmhake warned that the Government must keep a balanced excise rate, saying that “any further penalty of the alcoholic beverage sector, in terms of taxation will be counter-productive.”