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Yesterday, the head of Pernod Ricard's Europe, Middle East & Africa operations, Christian Porta, updated analysts on the group's performances in the regions, as well as reviewing Latin America. Here, just-drinks picks out the key themes, with commentary from analysts.

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At the TFWA China's Century Conference in Guangzhou last week, speaker after speaker lined up to talk about the changing face of Chinese luxury consumerism. Gone are the days when premiumisation in China meant sticking some red and gold glint on the packaging and raising the price by 30%. When it comes to brand awareness, China's Millennials are much more savvy in their brand awareness than their parents.

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Earlier today, Pernod Ricard reported results for the first half of its fiscal-2017. Group sales rose by 4% in the six months to the end of December, while net and operating profits were up similarly. Here, just-drinks considers Pernod's results on a by-region and -brand basis.

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As part of our Spirits Essentials series, just-drinks and The IWSR present a comprehensive guide to the vodka category. Sourced from the joint Global Vodka Insights report, published in December, we look at both market and category trends for vodka globally, the performance of the key brands, as well as the challenges facing the category going forward.

Last month, the CEO of Pernod Ricard, Alex Ricard, was in London to discuss the group's half-year results. just-drinks sat down with Ricard following the press conference to look at both the numbers for the first six months of fiscal-2017 and Ricard's tenure so far, since assuming the leadership in early-2015. In the first part of our exclusive two-part interview, Alex considers Pernod's positions in India and China and shares his thoughts on pricing and the role it plays in a company's approach to premiumisation.

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Tareef Shawa joined Pernod Ricard in 2014, bringing with him luxury credentials from American Express's invitation-only Centurion division, as well as seven years at LVMH's Louis Vuitton as director of global client development. Speaking to just-drinks in London this week, the group's luxury & customer relationship management director discusses the concept of luxury, its role within Pernod and how to quantify the success of luxury events.

Pernod Ricard has rolled out a limited-edition Absolut for the Canadian market. 

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Pernod Ricard has launched its latest Absolut vodka flavour in Canada, through Corby Spirit and Wine. 

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Strong growth in the US has helped drive solid nine-month sales for Pernod Ricard despite continued weakness for Absolut vodka.

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The CEO of Pernod Ricard has countered suggestions that the group has been over-reliant on its Cognac portfolio in China.

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Pernod Ricard has extended the recently-released lime variant of its Absolut vodka brand to the UK, as it looks to capitalise on what it claims is the growing popularity of citrus drinks in the country.

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Pernod Ricard and Remy Cointreau are the best-placed spirits companies to appeal to Millennial consumers, according to a recent report.

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The CEO of Pernod Ricard has said the company must stand its ground on Absolut's pricing in the US, in the wake of increasing pressure from the vodka category.

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Pernod Ricard has said a Facebook advert for its Absolut vodka brand in South Korea has attracted largely positive reactions, despite reports from several news outlets of a backlash from consumers.

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Mainstream vodka brands including Diageo's Smirnoff and Pernod Ricard's Absolut have strong growth potential in emerging markets, a new report has said.

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Alcoholic drinks that use healthy cues will struggle to break into the mass market, according to analysts at Mintel.

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Diageo's Johnnie Walker brand has consolidated its dominance of Global Travel Retail's spirits shelves, although Pernod Ricard's Absolut has been overtaken by Chivas Regal and Brown-Forman's Jack Daniel's, according to figures from The IWSR.

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Pernod Ricard has forecast a low single-digit lift in profits for the next fiscal year, as the company reported steady sales in fiscal-2016.

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Pernod Ricard will roll out several brands in Cuba, as it looks to capitalise on the country's growing tourism trends.

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Pernod Ricard has released the latest limited edition bottle design for its Absolut vodka brand. 

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Pernod Ricard has announced further details of the new structure of its operations in the US, a market that the group considers key to its medium-term goals.

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Pernod Ricard has admitted that Absolut has struggled in the US in the last few years, but improved sales in recent months have come from a stronger focus on Absolut's original flavour expression, the brand's marketing chief has told just-drinks.

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Pernod Ricard's vodka arm, The Absolut Co, has partnered with a kitchen products and apps designer to help drinkers to create cocktails at home.

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Pernod Ricard has confirmed the discontinuation of its Absolut Amber brand extension, as its replacement, Oak by Absolut, expands into Travel Retail.

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Here's a round-up of this week's top stories in the spirits & wine categories. We also have similar round-ups for beer and soft drinks & water.

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Pernod Ricard has said its Absolut brand is on course to stablise in the US despite continued double-digit sales falls for flavours.

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Pernod Ricard has made several changes to its global marketing team as part of its "internal promotion and mobility policy".

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Pernod Ricard has partnered its Absolut Elyx iteration in the US with non-profit organisation Water for People.