Henkell Freixenet is in talks to acquire a majority stake in French Champagne producer Maison Pommery & Associés.
A statement from Maison Pommery yesterday (2 June) confirmed it had started talks with Henkell International, a subsidiary of Henkell Freixenet.
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The talks, which will go on for two months, are over “a proposed strategic combination” that would see Henkell Freixenet take a majority stake in the French wine group.
Maison Pommery said the “proposed partnership between two family-owned groups would create a global player in sparkling wine”.
The group’s board has formed an ad hoc committee made up mostly of independent directors to monitor the talks. It added that there is no guarantee that the talks will bring about a deal.
The talks are subject to due diligence, final contracts, consultations, and regulatory approvals, Maison Pommery added.
The group also noted that it “will continue its activities in the ordinary course of business”.
Henkell Freixenet declined to comment further on the news when approached by Just Drinks, “due to confidentiality considerations”.
Maison Pommery operates in France’s Champagne, Provence, Camargue regions, as well as the Douro Valley in Portugal.
In the group’s results for last year, issued in March, Maison Pommery, formerly called Vranken-Pommery Monopole, saw consolidated revenue drop 3.6% to €293.2m ($340.4m).
Net income surged 3752% to €31.9m, attributed to the disposal of Heidsieck & Co Monopole last year to Lanson-BCC.
Operating income also jumped 83% to €64.1m, driven by a €44.3m net capital gain from the Heidsieck & Co Monopole sale as well as “controlled business activity in a challenging 2025 market environment”.
However, by the end of last year the group had also booked net financial debt of €754.4m, a €3.9m reduction on the year prior.
Meanwhile, Henkell Freixenet recorded 2025 net revenue of €1.25bn, up 0.5% year-over-year. Western Europe led the surge, accounting for 32% of total sales.
Growth was driven by Prosecco, Crémant, Aperitivo, and non-alcoholic segments despite a market that the German company described as “challenging”.
