Exclusive: Deutsch Family Enters Champagne With Beau Joie Brand
April 1, 2022Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits is expanding its imported wine portfolio at the high end with a new agreement to take a minority stake in the Beau Joie Champagne brand for an undisclosed sum. Under the terms, Deutsch will handle sales and marketing for Beau Joie on an exclusive basis across the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean.
Beau Joie is a luxury-positioned bubbly founded in 2011 by Jon and Brandis Deitelbaum of Las Vegas-based Toast Spirits and sourced from Epernay. It has rapidly expanded to enter the ranks of the top 20 Champagne brands in the U.S., with volume of 12,000 cases last year on 65% growth. The core lineup includes Brut Nature, a 60/40 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with zero dosage aged 6-8 years on yeast and retailing at $99; and Rosé Brut, a 50/50 blend of the same two varietals aged 6-8 years on yeast and retailing at $129. The portfolio also includes specialty expressions like Squire Brut, Sugar King Demi-Sec, and Beau Joie Gold, as well as limited editions.
“Traditionally, Champagne has been defined by heritage and tradition,” said Deutsch Family president Tom Steffanci. “Beau Joie in contrast, is youthful and high energy, attracting different consumers to the world of Champagne. We are confident we can help introduce the brand to a huge number of new consumers.” Beau Joie’s packaging is distinguished by a recycled copper wrap around the bottle that mimics a suit of armor, and the brand has gained visibility as the official Champagne of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights.
Deutsch said its first priority to take the brand to the next level is to introduce a new $49 Brut Champagne with an assemblage of 30% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, and 40% Pinot Meunier aged 6-8 years on yeast. “Impressively, Jon and his team were able to build a top 16 Champagne brand comprised of offerings above $80. This launch of the $49 offering will enable us to scale Beau Joie,” noted Steffanci.
Deutsch’s entry into Champagne comes amid robust growth for the category, which surged 24% to 1.87 million 9-liter case depletions in the U.S. last year, according to Impact Databank. Champagne’s shipment value to the U.S. jumped 69% to €741 million ($820m) in 2021, according to French government agency BusinessFrance, recovering strongly from a 19% decline in 2020 amid the initial outbreak of the pandemic.—Daniel Marsteller
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