Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of luxury powerhouse LVMH, has made its first move into the non-alcoholic beverage space. On Tuesday, the brand announced its investment in booze-free bubbly brand French Bloom. The acquisition — a minority stake of about 30 percent — aligns the wine company with fellow Moët-Hennesy brands including Dom Pérignon, Krug, and Veuve Clicquot.
French Bloom, founded by longtime friends Maggie Frerejean-Taittinger (of the Taittinger Champagne family) and model Constance Jablonski, launched in 2021. The brand is considered a leader in the non-alcoholic sparkling wine category, quickly expanding to over 30 countries in less than three years.
According to industry data tracker IWSR, sales volumes of non-alcoholic wines increased by 7 percent last year, and it’s predicted that number will continue to grow at an impressive rate. Meanwhile, the wine and spirits industries continue to struggle, after volumes declined globally in 2023. In the first half of this year, Moët Hennessy’s sales dropped 12 percent, and was LVMH’s worst-performing division. In the midst of this market reset, the luxury giant sees the premiere non-alcoholic sparkling wine as a rare opportunity for growth, and hopes to help shape the future of this up-and-coming category.
“We are incredibly proud to partner with French Bloom, a pioneer of non-alcoholic sparkling wine with unparalleled taste and distinctive brand identity,” CEO of Moët Hennessy Philippe Schaus said in a press release. “This investment aligns with Moët Hennessy’s key strategic initiatives, demonstrating our commitment to offering high-quality alcohol-free choices to consumers who moderate their alcohol intake. We are confident that our expertise in wines and spirits, combined with French Bloom team’s exceptional innovation and visionary leadership, will enable us to craft the future of this category.”
French Bloom’s wines — which are produced traditionally and then dealcoholized — are made with organically grown Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes from France. The brand offers Le Blanc and Le Rosé bottlings at $39 and $44, respectively, and has released a 2022 vintage cuvée at $119 per bottle.
Though there’s undoubtedly a market for non-alcoholic beverages as the booze-free movement continues to gain momentum, it’s unclear whether or not there’s demand for a premium product for over $100. But if any company can find a market for the luxury bubbly, it’s certainly LVMH.
The article Will People Shell Out $100 for Booze-Free Bubbles? Moët Hennessy Thinks So. appeared first on VinePair.