French group Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits (MBWS) noticed its income fall by 8.5% within the first half of 2025, led by a ‘sharp decline’ in its residence market.
The corporate posted income of €86.6m (US$101.5m) within the first half of 2025 (H1), which was down by 8.5% from the identical interval within the earlier yr.
In France particularly, its gross sales noticed a ‘important decline’ in H1 of 17.4%, because of what the corporate mentioned had been ‘tough industrial negotiations with the off-trade initially of the yr in a spirits market that continues to say no’.
The agency’s second-quarter (Q2) gross sales, in the meantime, had been down by double digits (13.7%) from €51.6m (US$60.5m) to €44.4m (US$52.1m).
In its residence market France, the corporate attributed the dive in gross sales in Q2 to the delisting of its Scotch whisky model William Peel within the off-trade. The influence of the delisting was mentioned to deliver down the group’s income for H1 by an estimated 6.3%.
Despite points with William Peel in its residence market, Sobieski vodka was mentioned to be performing ‘comparatively nicely’ within the face of aggressive vodka pricing by different firms, and its namesake liqueur, Marie Brizard, was ‘bolstered’ by product improvements.
The group posted 12.6% progress for all manufacturers throughout its portfolio within the on-trade for H1, however this was ‘removed from enough’ to offset the sharp decline within the off-trade.
US heightens worldwide decline
Away from France, the model’s worldwide gross sales noticed a drop of 1.3% in H1 2025, and 5% in Q2 as compared with 2024’s figures.
The corporate listed declines in Italy, Germany, the French abroad departments and territories, and Africa, however ‘sturdy’ performances in Belgium, the UK and Morocco.
These ‘sturdy performances’ weren’t sufficient to counter the general drop in income, although, MBWS mentioned.
Elsewhere, Poland was singled out for its 43.7% uptick in gross sales for Q2. Spain noticed a 5.6% rise, however Denmark swung the opposite means with a 24% fall. Denmark’s plummet was put right down to the ‘termination of an company model contract that would not get replaced within the quick time period and the discontinuation of gross sales to some ship chandlers’.
Within the US, income was down by 54.7% in H1 2025 and 57.5% in Q2.
This was attributed to ‘regulatory instability’ attributable to elevated customs tariffs. The corporate’s US importer ordered large-scale provides in 2024, however adjustments to sure native distributors resulted in a excessive comparability base.
MBWS added that its US importer considerably decreased stock, significantly for Sobieski vodka, which was the primary motive for decline. It mentioned the model’s gross sales momentum was according to how the vodka market is performing total.
Transition yr
Addressing the long run, the group mentioned in its outlook: “Towards a dark worldwide backdrop, the damaging development in income efficiency within the second quarter displays persistent tensions within the worldwide wine and spirits market: unfavourable results of tense commerce negotiations in early 2025 and continued stock reductions by our distributors in a number of markets, significantly in the USA.
“On this transition yr, the measures taken to mitigate these impacts and finest protect the monetary efficiency of our actions in France and on worldwide markets have now entered the operational part.”
The group added that was making each effort to cut back the influence of business tensions from previous months and that its goal was to “obtain a restoration in enterprise exercise that’s helpful to all stakeholders and is predicated on truthful and acceptable commerce phrases”.
It famous, nevertheless, that profitably will probably be hampered by potential will increase in customs duties within the second half of 2025 and their influence on worldwide commerce.
The corporate’s spirits portfolio additionally contains Cognac Gautier and Tequila San Jose.
The corporate’s first quarter (Q1) of 2025 was described as ‘sophisticated’ because of tariff uncertainty within the US.
Associated information
Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits rethinks model disposals
Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits revises gross sales forecast
