‘We serve premiumisation across all consumer segments and levels’

Pernod Ricard India (PRI), known for brands such as Royal Stag and Blenders Pride, aims to offer increasingly discerning choices as consumers seek higher-quality drinking experiences, CEO Jean Touboul says in a conversation with Viveat Susan Pinto.

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Speaking a day after Tilaknagar Industries completed its acquisition of PRI’s liquor brand Imperial Blue, Touboul outlines the company’s roadmap, investment plans, and new launches, including a multi-category range called Xclamation. Excerpts:

What is Xclamation all about and how significant a launch is it for Pernod Ricard India?

It’s a big moment for us. Xclamation is a major innovation and a big bet under Seagram’s. It taps into premiumisation, especially for Gen Z, who want bold, modern, high-quality products. The bottle design, the aluminium cap, and the liquid—whether it’s the finest Indian grain spirit, French grape brandy, or dual-cask Scotch whisky—speak premium. India is traditionally a whisky market, but repertoire drinking, that is, drinking based on moods or occasions, is rising, including among women. Under the same brand, we’re introducing five categories—whisky, brandy, rum, vodka, and gin—so consumers can choose based on the occasion. We see Xclamation alone contributing to 10% of our (sales) growth in the next decade. The range has been designed and crafted locally for the country’s growing base of aspirational and quality-conscious consumers.

Do you believe your premiumisation agenda has got a fillip with the sale of Imperial Blue?