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Pernod plans $250m Jefferson’s Bourbon distillery
French drinks firm Pernod Ricard will build a US$250 million (€238m) American whiskey distillery for its Jefferson’s Bourbon brand.
The new ‘state-of-the-art’ distillery will be carbon neutral, and will also include warehouses. It will be located in Marion County, Kentucky.
Alexandre Ricard, chairman and CEO, Pernod Ricard, commented: “American whiskey is an extremely vibrant spirits category and our strategic investments over the last few years have proven successful.
“Our philosophy of partnering with entrepreneurial brand founders, while preserving the heritage and terroir associated with the brands they created, has made us an established player in premium American whiskey.
“Jefferson’s founder Trey Zoeller is no exception. This new investment will allow us to grow our share of category sales not only in the US, but also in export markets.”
Pernod Ricard acquired Jefferson’s Bourbon in 2019 through its purchase of parent company Castle Brands. Since then, sales of Jefferson’s in the US have doubled.
The news of the new facility follows Pernod Ricard’s creation of the company’s dedicated American arm, The American Whiskey Collective.
It also follows the announcement of a €400m (US$422.6m) investment in expansion and sustainable improvements across its distilleries in Ireland and Scotland.
Ann Mukherjee, chairman and CEO, Pernod Ricard North America, said: “The new distillery will enable Jefferson’s to efficiently keep up with very strong consumer demand while staying true to the company’s longstanding commitment to sustainability.
“Our company is an agricultural company at its core and so it is vital that we lead the category forward – in partnership with our farmers and growers – and remain committed to the long-term sustainability of our people, our industry and our planet. This investment is the latest illustration of that belief.”
Pernod Ricard said Jefferson’s would continue to partner with local farmers and suppliers to source local ingredients and casks.