Pernod Ricard sells local Nordic brands for EUR 82 million

This transaction brings Pernod Ricard closer to completing its EUR 1.0 billion disposal plan (approximately EUR 0.8 billion achieved to date).

Altia is a wine and spirits company producing, distributing, marketing and selling own and supplier brands. It distills barley spirits for beverages, and has strong local products and few international brands such as Koskenkorva, Maximus and Grönstedts.

Altia is owned by the State of Finland. In 2009, net sales of Altia amounted to EUR 407.3 million. The company employs almost 950 people and operates in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia and Latvia.

Altia has a distillery in Koskenkorva (Finland) and a beverage plant in Rajamäki (Finland). The Tabasalu alcoholic beverage plant in Estonia is a producer of smaller batches.

Altia is the market leader in Finland and hopes to become a leading player in Sweden.

Already in December 2008 Pernod Ricard signed an agreement with Norway’s Arcus Gruppen AS for the disposal of the Grönstedts Cognac, Star Gin, Red Port and Dry Anis brands, followed in January 2009 by the sale of Lubuski Gin to Vinpol, a subsidiary of Germany’s Henkell & Co. Sektkellerei and the disposal of Serkova Vodka, a vodka brand in the Greek market, to Greece’s Amvyx SA.