Відповіді

• 2008.04.01 | Адвокат ...

  Будь ласка, перенесіть це на "Закордон".

  згорнути/розгорнути гілку відповідей

  • 2008.04.01 | samopal

    Це мабуть до модераторів?

    згорнути/розгорнути гілку відповідей

    • 2008.04.01 | Предсказамус

      Угу, переношу

• 2008.04.01 | samopal

  The Economist: Pernod Ricard buys Vin & Sprit (/)

  Стаття для тих, кому цікаво. Не нахлятися, звичайно, а дізнатися, що діється:
  http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10946042
  
  ICONIC is a much-overused adjective in branding, but it is a fitting description of Absolut, the Swedish vodka. The Absolut bottle, inspired by the medicine bottles sold in Stockholm pharmacies in the 18th and 19th centuries, is a design classic. Clever marketing campaigns have propelled the spirit from its southern Swedish home to leadership of the world’s premium vodka market. This is one of the fastest-growing segments of the industry, especially in America, the world’s biggest market for spirits, so its ownership is a prize well worth winning.
  
  When the centre-right Swedish government decided to put the owner of Absolut, Vin & Sprit (V&S), up for sale almost two dozen bidders showed interest in one of the drinks industry’s most marketable brands. After a hotly contested auction running for almost four months, Pernod Ricard, a French drinks giant, emerged victorious. On Monday March 31st the Paris-based company announced its takeover of V&S for €5.6 billion ($8.9 billion) including debt. “The acquisition is a fantastic opportunity and represents our third transformational acquisition,” said a triumphant Patrick Ricard, Pernod’s chief executive and chairman.
  
  Under Mr Ricard’s stewardship Pernod has been transformed from a company operating mainly in France—making pastis, an aniseed-flavoured aperitif—into a multinational heavyweight competing with Diageo for world leadership of the drink industry. With the blessing of his father, Paul Ricard, who founded the Ricard company, the younger Mr Ricard embarked on an international spending spree: he bought America's Austin Nichols, producer of Wild Turkey whiskey, Irish Distillers, another whiskey maker, and Jacob's Creek, an Australian wine company. In 2001 he acquired 38% of Seagram, a Canadian conglomerate with a large spirits portfolio. Four years later came his biggest coup so far with the €11.4 billion takeover in 2005 of Allied Domecq, a British drinks group.
  
  Although integrating Allied Domecq took longer than expected, Pernod was keen from the start to add V&S to its mix of brands. But it had to fight off strong competitors. Bacardi, a family-controlled company, was keen to land V&S to bolster its position against unwanted takeover offers. Fortune, another suitor, is close to V&S as both are part of Maxxium, a distribution network that is a joint-venture between the two companies alongside Rémy Cointreau, a French drinks firm and Edrington Group, another spirits company. EQT, another bidder, is controlled by Sweden’s Wallenberg family, and had it been successful this tie-up would have pleased those in favour of keeping the corporate jewel in Swedish hands.
  
  Analysts reckon the price paid by Pernod is high, but Mr Ricard was determined to buy a vodka brand at almost any cost. Diageo, his company’s big rival, controls 20% of the American market through its ownership of Smirnoff vodka. Frustration at losing a long-running fight to take over Russia's Stolichnaya vodka may have tempted Pernod to land a knockout blow. Stolichnaya would have been less expensive, and the brand is less developed, which gives it greater growth potential, but the deal became enmeshed with political machinations around Russia’s recent elections. And Absolut gives Pernod good exposure to the American market, which Stolichnaya doesn’t have.
  
  After its takeover of Allied Domecq, Pernod Ricard said that it thought it could become the world’s biggest drinks company over the next decade-without any further big acquisitions. If all goes according to plan, the pastis-maker from Marseilles might accomplish that feat rather earlier than expected.