Pernod Ricard Investor Relations Material

Pernod Ricard is a French beverage company specializing in the production and distribution of wines and spirits. The company has a diverse product portfolio that includes a range of brandy, champagne, distilled spirits, and much more. It owns several famous brands including Absolut Vodka, Jameson, Ballantines, Beefeater, Kahlua, and many, many more. In total, the company owns over 230 different brands of alcoholic beverages, with operations stretching all over the world. It is headquartered in Paris, France, and its shares are listed on the Euronext Paris.

The origins of the modern form of the company can be traced back to the creation of two separate companies: Pernod and Ricard. Pernod was founded in 1805 by Henri-Louis Pernod, who began distilling absinthe in Pontarlier, France. Ricard on the other hand was established in 1932 by Paul Ricard, who produced a new anise-flavored drink in the form of traditional pastis. Ricard became the first to commercialize pastis, promoting it as "the true pastis of Marseille."

However, the story of Pernod Ricard as we know it today began in 1975 when the two producers joined forces through a merger. The two companies had been fierce competitors, but the merger aimed to solidify the market positions of the country’s largest anise aperitif producers, while also setting the stage for further growth through acquisitions.

Ever since the initial merger between the two legacy companies, Pernod Ricard has been focused on growing through acquisitions. Continuous additions and acquisitions into the business over the years have seen the company move far away from its roots in aniseed aperitifs to stretch across a wide spectrum of spirits and wines. Pernod Ricard has grown into one of the largest alcoholic beverage groups in the world, together with other public companies such as Diageo and Anheuser-Busch.

Further reading: Pernod Ricard's Acquisition Journey

Pernod Ricard owns a diverse portfolio of alcoholic beverages, encompassing a wide range of spirits such as whiskies, vodkas, rums, gins, cognacs, liqueurs, as well as various producers of wine. Notably, the company does not own any beer producers but instead focuses on its core areas of expertise.