Moet & Chandon is undertaking a major expansion of its production facilities, in anticipation of rising global demand for Champagne.
Moët: ‘anticipate capacity’
The company has been focusing on the construction of a new winery at its existing press facility in Oiry since April 2011.
The 100,000 hectolitre expansion project, with 137 new stainless steel fermentation tanks, which Moët has called Mont Aigu, was initiated because the company felt that the current site in Epernay could no longer meet its needs.
‘By 2014 our sales forecasts are set to reach their highest level yet, exceeding even those of 2007. We can only increase sales if we have sufficient storage capacity’, said CEO Daniel Lalonde.
While the company’s headquarters on the Avenue De Champagne in Epernay will continue to be used for wine production, Moët expects the bulk of its Champagne to be produced and stored at the upgraded Oiry site.
The new facility is expected to be operational in time for the 2012 harvest.
‘The Mont Aigu project is the first stage of a plan to anticipate now what production facilities will be needed in the future to ensure and maintain this growth in the long term’, Lalonde said.
Champagne’s governing body the CIVC recently unveiled sales figures which show that Champagne sales increased significantly in volume in 2011, with emerging markets like Russia and China fuelling growth.
Written by James Lawrence
