GBH Bolsters Its Spirits Division, SPIRIBAM, With the Acquisition of Renowned Nuits-Saint-Georges Liquer Brand, Joseph Cartron

NEW YORK, July 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SPIRIBAM, the house of Groupe Bernard Hayot's (GBH) spirits brands, has acquired the Joseph Cartron Company, a renowned producer of fruit liqueurs, and traditional eaux-de-vies. The acquisition will expand SPIRIBAM outside of premium rum and further into fine specialty spirits, adding a wide range of fruit liqueurs, brandies, and vermouths acclaimed by specialty merchants and creative bartenders around the world.

"I couldn't be more excited for this new development for our young company," exclaimed Benjamin Jones, SPIRIBAM's Director of North America. "We have patiently waited for the correct opportunity to diversify outside of rum. The union with a French company that shares so many of the same time-honored traditions, valued passions, and being a recognized expert of their craft make the synergies with our rum distilleries too good to pass up. We are ready for this new challenge."

The ties between SPIRIBAM and the Joseph Cartron Company run deep, so the idea for these two companies to merge has arisen naturally over time. Both brands share many traits and values: strong regional roots, high-quality products, and centuries-old expertise. The Joseph Cartron company will join a branch of activity that already includes Rhum Clément, Rhum J.M, Bounty, Chairman's Reserve, and Admiral Rodney rum brands produced by Saint Lucia Distillers. This union will create many synergies — both locally in the French market, where Joseph Cartron has an excellent knowledge of the on-premise sector, and internationally, where the SPIRIBAM sales and marketing teams have a distribution network that covers more than 70 countries. President Judith Cartron retains the management of the Joseph Cartron company and will be entrusted with an enlarged scope of activities within the new organization and the same will be the case for the Joseph Cartron team.

"I'm proud that the GBH group has chosen us to be part of its development," said Judith Cartron. "Together we will be able to accelerate the commercial development of our brands by relying on the solidity of our distribution network, which has been built over a long period of time in France. SPIRIBAM will be able to count on the excellent team culture that reigns within our company, as well as our attention to quality customer service. Our company sizes are certainly very different, but our values and our common family business culture, which is deeply rooted in our operating styles, are so close that our merger felt perfectly natural."

Grégoire Gueden, Director of the spirits branch of GBH and CEO of SPIRIBAM, added that he's delighted with this "marriage of passion and purpose," which will allow SPIRIBAM to expand into new spirits categories. "The Joseph Cartron company is full of passionate men and women who carry the values and history of their magnificent brand, created in 1882. Our teams know each other very well and have worked together for more than 15 years. The skills and expertise we each possess will be a real added value in this new group."

ABOUT SPIRIBAM

SPIRIBAM's mission to bring the finest Caribbean rum to American shores dates back to 2005 when Rhum Clément was first introduced in the United States. The role of the company quickly evolved into an educational one focused on the advancement of Rhum Agricole from Martinique, such as Rhum JM, and attracting more attention to all styles of premium rum of different origins. After a decade of housing Rhum Agricole from the French West Indies, SPIRIBAM welcomed St. Lucia Distillers to its portfolio, beginning with the re-launch of Chairman's Reserve, followed by Bounty Rum and Admiral Rodney. Crafted from distinct blends of pot-still and column-still rums, each brand has tremendous character and personality, proudly carrying an undeniable identity in regard to their style and region. SPIRIBAM represents the ultimate cabinet of rum and is one of the primary forces behind today's rapidly developing ultra-premium rum category in the US.

ABOUT JOSEPH CARTRON

Joseph Cartron, a distiller and liqueuriste founded in 1882 in Nuits-Saint-Georges, has built an exceptional reputation on these values: the authenticity, the richness of Burgundy, and the passion and love passed from father to son for the terroir and its treasures. Joseph Cartron produces and distributes an extensive collection of 70 products combining tradition and innovation with its fruit liqueurs, brandies, and apéritifs, including the first Burgundy Vermouths and the Marc and Fines de Bourgogne. Distributed in France and 45 countries internationally, Joseph Cartron is one of the best ambassadors of the flavors of Burgundy, and one of the preferred liqueurists of fine spirit specialists, chefs, and bartenders around the world.

ABOUT GBH

With 11,000 employees worldwide, GBH operates with three diverse enterprises of business in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean, France, Africa, China, and New Caledonia: a "mass distribution" pole, an "automotive" pole, and an "industrial activities" pole, which brings together the production and export of spirits and the agro-food sectors. This spirits business group, which falls under the SPIRIBAM entity, concentrates the production and marketing of different rum and liqueurs brands produced in Martinique, Saint Lucia, Mauritius, and now Burgundy. They are sold in their local markets as well as France, Europe, Asia, the United States, and over 70 other countries.

MEDIA INQUIRIES

Cuvée & Co., Dana Bruneau [email protected] (907) 306-7094

SOURCE SPIRIBAM