Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits has booked a fall in first-half sales but the company did report a brighter picture emerging in France.
First-half revenues fell 3% to €84m, dragged down by a near-6% decline from the group’s international business
In the second quarter, group revenues grew 2.2% to €45.3m, as sales in France jumped 6%. Sales in France’s on-trade increased 16% in the second quarter, helped by sales of its namesake brand and a rum distribution deal. First-half on-trade sales were 10.1% higher.
Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits’ sales to off-trade customers in France fell 4% in the first half but increased 3.8% in the second quarter. The company said sales of the Marie Brizard and Sobieski brands were helped by new products. Revenue from Marie Brizard’s International division dropped 5.8% in the first half, although the decline was less steep in the second quarter at 0.3%.