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The two largest cooperative groups in Champagne - CRVC-Champagne Castelnau and Centre Vinicole-Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte - will merge to form the "Terroirs et Vignerons de Champagne" group from 1 January 2022. This will create a Champagne giant that unites about 6,000 vintners and 3,000 hectares of vineyards, which corresponds to about nine percent of the total vineyard area in Champagne. Terroir et Vignerons de Champagne aims to achieve a production capacity of 24 million bottles - eight per cent of the world market of around 300 million bottles of Champagne - and a turnover of 300 million euros per year within five years.
According to the president of Terroirs et Vignerons de Champagne, Véronique Blin, the merger had been planned for a long time, but was delayed by six months because of Covid. The "restructuring of the cooperative model" had become necessary after the French champagne market had recorded a decline of 40 million bottles after the global financial crisis in 2008. The new group will be "one of the three major operators in Champagne", which confirms the strength of the cooperative model.
The brands Maison Abelé 1757, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte and Champagne Castelnau are to continue independently and separately.
(al / Source: decanter.com, drinksbusiness.com; Photo: Nicolas Feuillate)