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France's champagne producers are expected to toast record results with their products in a few days. Sales of €5.5 billion are expected in 2021, well above the previous high of €5 billion set in the pre-Corona year of 2019, said Jean-Marie Barillere, president of Champagne industry group UMC. "The rush was enormous and so unexpected that there were disruptions in the supply chain," Barillere said.
Nielsen, a company specialising in retail data, found that champagne in French supermarkets already had the largest shortages among the main food categories at the beginning of November.
Benoit Melendez, a Paris-based retailer specialising in champagne, reported that reports of a shortage of supply in the autumn had further driven demand. "So I might not be able to satisfy customers looking for something specific for New Year's Eve because there is too little replenishment." In addition, some manufacturers have raised their prices. Melendez, like Barillere, suspects that demand will remain high because customers are drinking more champagne at home.
(al / Source: Reuters; Photo: wikimedia Antonio Borillo)
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