Pernod Ricard has established a new global brand company in the United States – North American Distillers (NADL) – as it seeks to elevate its American whiskey portfolio,

Pernod Ricard initially launched its American whiskey portfolio as an independent unit incubated within Pernod Ricard USA. The company said NADL marks the next phase of its growth ambitions in the thriving category.

The annual economic briefing from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) revealed earlier this year that American whiskey is helping to drive growth in premium spirits sales in the US.

American whiskey was both one of the top five spirits categories by revenue in 2022, with sales totalling US$5.1 billion, and one of the five fastest-growing categories, with those revenues representing a 10.5 per cent increase on the year before.

The new company will be responsible for global marketing strategy and production of its premium American whiskey brands, leveraging the company’s global network to stimulate growth. NADL’s priorities will also include overseeing the highly anticipated Jefferson’s distillery, currently under construction in Kentucky.  

Pernod Ricard is investing approximately $250 million over five years to build the state-of-the-art, carbon neutral whiskey making facility, with related ageing warehouses, in Marion County. 

“American whiskey is an extremely vibrant spirits category, and our strategic investments over the last few years have proven successful,” said Pernod Ricard CEO Alexandre Ricard.

“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.”

Seasoned Pernod Ricard executive to lead NADL

The new specialised business will be helmed by Richard Black (below), a Pernod Ricard executive with 23 years of leadership in whiskey and cognac, including time at Chivas Brothers and most recently as Global Marketing Director for Martell in Paris. As CEO of North American Distillers, Black will oversee the company’s full American Whiskey portfolio and North American operations sites.  

Black said: “American whiskey is a dynamic spirits category, and our portfolio shows immense potential for future growth. Our investments made in Jefferson’s, Rabbit Hole, Smooth Ambler, Skrewball and TX, underscore our ambitious commitment. My mission is to harness this potential and drive a singular focus on these brands and our operations, driving us towards our goals and creating a top-tier marketing and sustainable operations team on the back of our peoples’ deep-rooted expertise.” 

Leading the operational team at NADL is Pierre Joncourt, current SVP of Operations for Pernod Ricard North America. On the whiskey and marketing front, Bourbon Hall of Famer and Rabbit Hole Whiskey founder Kaveh Zamanian will move to a new role, guiding the liquid strategy for the full North American whiskey portfolio. 

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