Pernod buys South African gin Inverroche
Beefeater owner Pernod Ricard is aiming to establish Inverroche as “Africa’s first global luxury spirit brand” after taking full ownership of the gin maker.
The Paris-headquartered group initially acquired a majority stake in South African spirits producer Inverroche Distillery for an undisclosed sum in July 2019.
The sale of the remaining shares in Inverroche was concluded on 6 February 2025, marking Pernod Ricard’s first wholly owned African spirit brand. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Sola Oke, managing director of Pernod Ricard Africa, described the market as having “great potential” for the company.
He continued: “Our investment in Inverroche demonstrates the continued commitment of our group to Africa, and our belief in the continent’s potential as a significant white space opportunity in the world for the premium-plus spirits and Champagne segment.
“This is an important milestone in realising our ambition to make Inverroche Africa’s first global luxury spirit brand.”
Lorna Scott, who founded Inverroche in 2011, is expected to continue working with the brand following the acquisition.
A resident of Stilbaai on South Africa’s southern coast, where Inverroche was established, Scott pioneered the use of the area’s indigenous fynbos to infuse traditional gin botanicals.
Inverroche is available in 25 markets around the world, with the brand most recently entering the US.
The South African producer is said to be one of the largest employers in the Stilbaai and Riversdale area, with 70% of women making up the workforce.
During December, the gin producer created an additional 30 temporary jobs to manage the increased number of tourists visiting the Inverroche visitor centre in Stilbaai.
The brand also supports the Stilbaai community by using local suppliers and businesses.
Pernod Ricard’s gin portfolio includes Beefeater, Malfy, Monkey 47, Plymouth and Seagram’s.
The group also made a ‘significant’ investment in Japanese gin brand Ki No Bi in 2020, revealing plans for a new sustainable distillery in Kyoto last year.
In the firm’s sales for the first half (H1) of its 2024/25 financial year, Pernod noted ‘slight growth and share gains’ in South Africa, amid ‘difficult macro-economic conditions’.
Beefeater, one of the group’s strategic international brands, reported stagnant sales during H1 with volumes at 1.8 million nine-litre cases.
Portfolio management
The company has made several disposals in the past year, mainly focused on wine and ‘non-strategic’ local brands, as it seeks to focus on ‘attractive’ premium international spirits.
Pernod Ricard offloaded blended Scotch Clan Campbell and Becherovka liqueur in 2024, and expects to complete the sale of its whole portfolio of Nordic brands (which includes Minttu liqueur) by the second half of its financial year.
Last August, the French firm purchased a minority stake in Lewis Hamilton’s alcohol-free agave ‘spirit’ brand, Almave.
Related news
Top 10 spirits acquisitions in 2024
