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Strong increase in cognac sales in 2021

By Nathalie Baylaucq 19.01.2022

In one year, Cognac sales rebounded by 30.9% in value and 16.2% in volume in 2021, the interprofession reported. Read more here.

The Cognac interprofession (BNIC) reported on Monday, January 17 that cognac sales even exceeded their pre-pandemic level. Indeed in 2021 cognac sales represented 223.2 million bottles exported, translating into a turnover of €3.6 billion, up 1.6% compared to 2019, the last year before the health crisis caused by Covid-19, the BNIC specified in a statement.

“Cognac continues to be marked by a very strong dynamic. (…) Demand has never been as high in our markets as it is this year,” said BNIC President Christophe Veral.

The United States, which is the leading export market, bought 115 million bottles last year, 11.1% more than in 2020. Meanwhile, sales in China, the second largest cognac market, rose by 55.8%, or 34 million bottles exported.

Many other countries are now also positioning themselves in terms of cognac sales growth. For example, among these new markets we find South Africa and Nigeria, which, as in the traditional markets, benefited from +8.1% in volume in Europe, added the BNIC.

Cognac sales in France

France recorded strong growth (23.4% in volume), driven by “the development of mixology” which attracts “a new clientele in search of authentic products”.

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In terms of production, the interprofessional forecasts a 2021 harvest “in line with the decennial average”, with 867,000 hectoliters of pure alcohol (hl PA) produced, for a yield of 10.77 hl PA/hectare, which will “support the continued growth” of the sector.

97% of cognac sales are for export, but they fell by 22.3% in value in 2020, as the pandemic has favored internet sales, a market where cheaper bottles dominate.

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