Lanson group records loss of earnings

Lanson-BCC has registered a 11.4% fall in turnover in 2012, as global Champagne shipments fell to 308.8 million bottles last year - 4.4% less than in 2011 according to data from the CIVC (Le Comité Interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne).

The loss has been attributed to ‘the difficult economic environment and the month of December being less dynamic than hoped for,’ the company said.

However, due to a reduction of expenses and tax, their net margin only fell to 6.4%, versus 6.7% in 2011.

The group, which was formed in 2006 and renamed as Lanson-BCC in 2010, currently owns seven Champagne Houses, including Philipponnat, De Venoge and Boizel.

‘Despite a particularly unfavourable context in Europe, the Group has firmly maintained its strategy: further strengthening the complimentary positioning of its Houses and confirming the value policy applied for several years now,’ Lanson-BCC said.

‘The Group’s Houses have made a slightly better start to 2013 than 2012, but, at this stage in the year, visibility is still limited. In view of so many uncertainties, the Lanson-BCC Group is therefore not publishing any target figures for 2013,’ the company added.

Despite difficult European trading conditions, Lanson-BCC are enjoying some growth in the Asian and Scandinavian markets and plan to unveil a new Lanson Cuvee – White label – at the Wimbledon championships this year.

Written by James Lawrence

James Lawrence is a freelance lifestyle journalist, copywriter and blogger, based in London. Aside from Decanter, he has written for The Drinks Business, Harpers Wine & Spirit, City AM and The Telegraph. His special interests are wine fraud, appellation systems the Asian wine market and Napa Valley producers. He writes a wine blog called The Wine Remedy.