MBWS intros cost-control plan for H2 after sales fall €2.6m
French group Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits has rolled out a cost-control programme for the second half of its financial year after sales fell by €2.6 million (US$3m) during the first half of 2025.
The William Peel whisky owner’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) plummeted by 30.8% compared with the same period in 2024.
Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits (MBWS) already reported an 8.5% revenue decline for the first half (H1) of 2025, largely due to fewer spirits sales in France.
Fahd Khadraoui, chief executive officer of MBWS, said: “In the international market, we continue to develop our growth strategy in priority segments, as illustrated by our many commercial successes in International Strategic Brands (William Peel, Marie Brizard), Flagship Local Brands, the distribution of agency brands with new contracts in Bulgaria and our industrial services offering.
“In fact, we have seen an 80-basis-point improvement in our consolidated gross margin, driven by our international operations, demonstrating the effectiveness of our cost control policy and commercial rigour.
“The current price adjustments are directly linked to inflation in the cost price of matured spirits and cannot be avoided.
“Meanwhile, we are maintaining constructive dialogue with those reluctant to accept the adjustments in order to achieve balanced commercial terms favourable to all parties. Despite these very negative impacts on our group’s business, we were able to limit the decline in profitability.
“In line with our roadmap, we have continued to invest, primarily in industrial capacities and IT projects, while maintaining a comfortable net cash position. At the same time, we have rolled out the cost control programme in the second half in order to safeguard our profitability and mitigate the impact of ongoing trade tensions.
“I remain confident in our people’s ability to face these headwinds and reach the necessary agreements with our customers to ensure a sustainable and balanced business recovery.”
MBWS’s EBITDA in France dropped from €6.1m in H1 2024 to €3.7m in H1 2025.
The international cluster, however, delivered a small increase of €0.6m in H1 2025 to €4.7m. The group noted its profitability ‘plummeted’ in the US with a ‘sharp’ sales decline, but this was offset by improved profitability among the Spanish and Lithuanian subsidiaries.
MBWS noted 2025 would be a ‘year of transition for the group’. Due to the volatility of the wine and spirits market, the company said it has taken steps to protect its financial performance.
These steps include price adjustments to offset rising cost price, which it said were necessary or else its sales in France could be more impacted.
Furthermore, MBWS will reduce certain expenses, accelerate productivity projects, and implement appropriate commercial initiatives with ‘positive short-term effects’.
