2016 MARKS A NEW HIGH FOR COGNAC SALES

The "Cognac Enterprise" is made up of about 16,800 active individuals, which accounts for over 50% of the active general agricultural population in France.

2014, 2015 and now 2016 mark a constant growth for the sales of cognac.

Image to Illustrate Cognac Sales in 500 years

That is growth +6% in volume and +6,8% in monetary value, still fueled by the USA which is making close to 42% of the overall sales for the past 25 years with 74,1 millions of bottles sold in 2016.

More than 98% is exports with 179,1 millions of bottles sold in 2016, was 168,9 millions in 2015. I can still remember not long ago when we were saying that 120 million bottles was a lot!!

Total sales in 2016 equal 2,76 milliards d'euros compare to 2,6 milliards en 2015.

North America comprises 77,3 millions of bottles with +14,2% in sales volume, and 14,3% in value.

Asia is the second market with 51,1 millions bottles sold, that is +1% in volume and +3% in value. This situation confirms the stability recovered in 2015 after the 2014 decline period.

Africa and Oceania are showing great potential for growth with 11,3 millions of bottles sold, comprising 6,3% of the total sales, but with significant growth:
. +5,4 % in volume
. +5,1% in value

In contrast, the European market shows a slight decline of -1,2% in volume, and -1% in value. But still 39,4 millions of bottles were sold in Europe.

Looking at the sales in using the 3 basic qualities is interesting:

. VSOP sales are stable.

. VS = +9,6 % in volumee and  +13,0 % in value.

. XO and Older = +11,7 % in volume and +8,3 % in value which is a little scary because not sustainable.

Sources: Charente Libre, BNIC

COGNAC-EXPERT.COM IS BEING AWARDED FOR ITS CONTRIBUTION

One of the media which has made the greatest impact in our lives in the past 10 years has been social media. It is incredible to see that people, habits and patterns might have changed because of this.

Social media has become a modern way to communicate, and a few people have made a tremendous contribution in the cognac industry using social media. A few Internet and Social Media are particularly interesting in relations to cognac:

. The Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC) or Cognac Bureau, the French government agency covering the legal and associative work around the industry, i.e., www.cognac.fr.

Screen Shot of Cognac.fr Website October 2014

. CognacFans.com, Cognac-World.com, etc.

. but more noticeably Cognac-Expert.com.

The cognac-expert.com is the 'go-to' website to read interesting aspects and news about cognac and the Cognac region.

Last year in September 2013, the BNIC recognized cognac-expert.com as the 'best writer of the year' during the ceremony of the annual banquet and auction 'La Part des Anges'.