Ki No Bi to open €25m carbon-neutral distillery
Pernod Ricard-owned ultra-premium Japanese gin Ki No Bi will invest in a new sustainable distillery with increased capacity.
The site, located in Kameoka City in Japan’s Kyoto Prefecture, is anticipated to open in autumn 2025.
The new facility’s boiler will be powered exclusively by renewable electricity from wind, water, solar and geothermal energy.
Antonio Sanchez Villarreal, managing director of The Kyoto Distillery, said: “This is a pivotal moment for all of us at The Kyoto Distillery and our beloved Ki No Bi gin as the brand prepares for future growth amid the strong demand for Japanese gin and Japanese craft spirits.
“The construction of a new state-of-the-art carbon-neutral distillery shows our firm commitment to both safety and sustainability, and we are very happy that, as part of Pernod Ricard, we can make this strategic investment in our brand.”
Ki No Bi is produced by The Kyoto Distillery, in which Pernod Ricard invested in 2020.
The brand’s name means ‘the beauty of the seasons’ in Japanese. Its gin is made from high-quality rice spirit and 11 botanicals, many of which are locally sourced.
To commemorate the start of construction, the brand held a traditional Japanese ground-breaking ceremony. A Shinto Shrine master blessed the ground to ensure smooth construction and the future prosperity of the distillery.
Hiroyuki Nagai, head of distillery operations and strategic projects, added: “We are thrilled to see the start of construction for our new distillery.
“Our farm-to-consumer philosophy, using local botanicals and ingredients will remain. Ki No Bi is a brand with a very Japanese heart and an artisanal spirit made with obsessive attention to detail.
“Our journey that began in 2016 evolves as we aim to capitalise on the opportunity to grow our global market share as an ultra-premium gin of choice.”
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