The French company Pernod Ricard confirmed this Thursday that it maintains conversations with Brown-Forman (the company that owns the Jack Daniel’s brand) to explore a possible rapprochement between both companiesafter the recent speculations that appeared in the press. As explained by the firm, any eventual agreement, which would be subject to the usual approvals, would be presented as a merger of equalssupported by «the talent and experience of both groups» and with the objective of generating value for the shareholders of the two companies. If completed, the operation would give rise to a world leader in larger spiritswith a powerful portfolio of brands and a balanced geographical exposure, around two reference family groups. The company emphasizes that operational synergies would be relevantby combining iconic Brown-Forman brands, such as Jack Daniel’s, with the strength of Pernod Ricard’s distribution network and its positioning in markets with greater growth potential. However, Pernod Ricard has warned that «there is no guarantee» for the talks to culminate in an agreement. In this sense, it has indicated that it will not make any further communications on this matter until a definitive agreement is reached or the negotiations are terminated.
