Sustainability is also about building long-lasting relationships. This year, we proudly launched our Arts Mentorship programme. Building on the Group’s founding commitment to creativity, this programme takes young artists and designers under its wing and furthers our real desire to share, innovate and bring people together. This year, Sandra Rocha, mentor, and Perrine Géliot, mentee, worked together to develop an international artistic project which was presented at the Rencontres d’Arles photography festival in France in July.
Despite increasing global challenges, I’ve said many times over the past two years that Pernod Ricard would come out of the crisis stronger than ever, and our results this year are the reflection of all that hard work. The incredible shared success achieved by my more than 19,000 colleagues worldwide ensured we reached the symbolic double-digit revenue figure, hitting €10.7 billion in net sales for the first time. Additionally, two financial milestones have been surpassed, with our Profit from Recurring Operations at €3 billion and our highest ever Free Cash Flow at €1.8 billion.
Absolut broke 12 million cases sold worldwide, while Jameson broke 10 million and Ballantine’s 9 million. Indeed, our splendid portfolio of Scotch whiskies grew by an impressive 25%, while Martell grew by 7%. These are just some examples of the record sales of so many of the brands across our unrivalled portfolio.
I am extremely proud to say that we have been able to ring the “double-digit growth” bell many times this year, in markets across the Asian/Rest of the World and European regions, which are both growing at an impressive rate of 19%. We have seen our “must win” markets continue to progress, with the US reporting +8%, China +5% and India a successful +26%, while Global Travel Retail rebounded impressively as many parts of the world reopened post-Covid.
2.1 billion: that is the number of bottles that we produced and distributed last year at a global level for our more than 240 brands. It is an impressive figure, but it does not say enough about the talent and commitment of my colleagues who made these accomplishments possible, under the most difficult and challenging context our industry has experienced for some time.
If these last two years have taught us anything, it’s that there’s no one way to connect. So, whether it’s a family gathered around a table to celebrate a happy occasion, or friends both near and far catching up in person or digitally, these irreplaceable bonds are now, and always will be, absolutely vital.
This is the future we are crafting as more than 19,000 convivialists. Never before has our company been so sure about the change and impact we will make. We will do so by using my grandfather’s motto to “make a new friend every day.” It is timeless advice. I invite each and every one of us to make a new connection every day, to make the world a more convivial place. Because there is no doubt that a more convivial world is a better world for all of us.
“We reached the symbolic double-digit revenue figure, hitting €10.7 billion in net sales for the first time.”