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Marie Brizard sales fall €5.8m in H1

Drinks group Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits (MBWS) saw sales decrease by €5.8 million (US$6.8m) in the first half of 2021.

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Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits reported a decline in sales in the first half of 2021

Paris-based MBWS recorded a 5.8% drop in sales for the first half of 2021, with a recorded taking of €81 million (US$96m) compared to the first half of 2020, which reaped €86.8m (US$103m).

The figures reveal positive sales results for France during the first half of 2021, with a turnover of €39.1m (US$46.4m) – an increase of 2% when compared to the respective period in 2020.

A boost in sales at the beginning of the year in the country ‘incorporates the distribution of the Irish whiskey brand, Paddy‘ which was taken over in June 2020.

While Q1 was driven by success in the off-trade in France, Q2 results in MBWS’ domestic market faltered due to recovery in the on-trade with bars and restaurants reopening. The blended Scotch whisky market was ‘notably affected’, with the William Peel brand seeing a decline in sales.

International results

Data analysing international sales figures revealed recovery in certain markets, including the UK and Spain, yet there was a general restriction of on-trade sales due to the pandemic.

The international cluster was impacted by a marked decline of bulk sales in the Baltic countries.

It was also affected by a new distribution agreement in the US, resulting in a build-up of inventory. Shipments to US were disrupted by problems with sea-freight, and the nation’s off-trade suffered from inflation, following bars and restaurants closing and a high level of promotional activity in the country.

Western Europe was hit harder by the effects of the pandemic in the first half of 2021 compared to the same period last year, due to the later implementation of Covid-19 restrictions.

While the Iberian region – which includes Spain and Portugal – has seen border sales recover as well as on-trade sales, Lithuania saw export sales disrupted by political unrest in Belarus. The sales of bulk ethyl alcohol, a component for making alcoholic beverages, also came under pressure in Lithuania with volume and prices falling.

Africa saw a good start to the year with an increase in sales in the first half of 2021.

The Asia-Pacific region has been dubbed particularly ‘resilient’, especially in Australia ‘where the sales of Marie Brizard liqueurs continued their upward trend’. This managed to offset on-trade problems in Japan in the first half of 2021, which have been credited to the country’s ‘state of emergency’.

The firm’s offloaded Poland’s business in July 2020, to United Beverages Group. It also sold wine brand Moncigale in February this year.

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