News Briefs for October 24, 2013
October 24, 2013•Pernod Ricard has taken Olmeca Altos 100%-agave Tequila national.The super-premium entry, retailing at $24.99 a 750-ml. across its Plata and Reposado variants, is being positioned as an affordable but high-quality Tequila for the cocktail segment. Olmeca Altos 100%-agave first launched in test markets in 2011, then saw a wider rollout a year ago ahead of this month’s national debut.
•PL360 Beverage Partners is launching a new Bordeaux range inspired by the television drama Downton Abbey in the U.S. market. Rolling out stateside on November 1, the Downton Abbey Wine Collection features a pair of blends—Blanc and Claret—produced in the Entre-Deux-Mers region of Bordeaux. Both wines will be available online and at specialty retail and supermarket outlets, priced at around $14.99 a 750-ml. Based in Denver, Colorado, PL360 specializes in building control, private and agency label brands for the retail segment.
•Germany’s Langguth Erben, producer of the Blue Nun wine brand, has appointed Patrick Langguth head of international sales. In his new role, the 8th-generation winemaker will manage all international affairs for the company, with a focus on repositioning Blue Nun to attract a “younger, more sophisticated demographic,” Langguth Erben said. As part of the revamp, Blue Nun recently updated its logo and packaging in a move intended to reflect its new direction. Handled by Shaw-Ross in the U.S., Blue Nun’s offering currently includes Authentic White, Winemaker’s Passion Riesling and Sweet Red. Once a million-case brand, Blue Nun has hovered between 200,000-300,000 cases over the past decade, falling 4.8% to 276,000 cases in 2012, according to Impact Databank.
•Dallas-based casual dining operator Brinker International posted revenue of $683.9 million for its first quarter ended in September, flat against the prior year, as sales at Chili’s units open at least 18 months declined 1.9% on lower traffic. On the positive side, Brinker’s Maggiano’s Little Italy brand saw comparable sales rise 0.6% during the period, achieving its 15th consecutive quarterly increase. Company-wide, Brinker’s net income rose 4.7% to $29 million in the first quarter.
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