US: Pernod Ricard to expand Beefeater 24 gin

Pernod Ricard is to expand the presence of its super premium Beefeater 24 gin in the US, following healthy early sales.

Beefeater 24 will be launched in the cities of Boston, Los Angeles and Philadelphia in September, Pernod Ricard USA said today (10 August).

The move follows success for the brand in New York and San Francisco, where it was launched in June.

Consumers have been steadily shifting away from the US bar scene to home drinking, a pattern accelerated by the recession, but Pernod said that it remains confident in the super-premium brand's potential.

"The gin category continues to show strong momentum and offers excellent future growth opportunities," said Pernod's US marketing director for Beefeater, Juli Falkof.

She added: "To further support our launch, we have turned to some of the best and brightest within the bartender community who have contributed their mixology expertise to craft Beefeater 24 drinks that continue to elevate the spirits industry in new and interesting ways."

Beefeater 24 takes its name from the gin's 24-hour steeping process and was first launched in the UK in London, where it is distilled, late last year. The gin contains 12 botanicals, including a rare blend of teas, according to Pernod.

Last month, France-based Pernod Ricard said it expected flat global sales for its full-year, after suffering from a drop in consumer demand in the first six months of 2009.