Grey Goose (vodka)
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| Type | Vodka |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Bacardi |
| Country of origin | France |
| Introduced | 1997 in USA |
| Alcohol by volume | 40.0% |
| Proof | 80 |
| Variants | L'Orange, La Vanille, Le Citron, La Poire |
| Related products | List of vodkas |
Grey Goose is a Bermudian owned brand of vodka produced in France. It is distilled in Cognac, France from French wheat and exported to the United States by the Sidney Frank Importing Company in New Rochelle, New York. In 2004, Sidney Frank sold the manufacturing rights to Bacardi for $2.2 billion. Among French vodkas, Grey Goose has some competitors, as the French vodkas Nuage and Idol are also now on the market. These vodkas are sold mostly in North America, and are marketed as premium brands.
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[edit] Production and history
Grey Goose was tailor-made for the American market in 1997 as the brainchild of Sidney Frank, a self-made billionaire. His concept was to create a super-premium vodka for Americans. He took the idea from the notion of French manufacturing having an inherent link with high perceived quality, quickly dispatching a team to Europe. As a result, Grey Goose was created.
Grey Goose uses French winter wheat from an area south of Paris, distilled in a column still, and alpine spring water that has been filtered through the limestone plateau of the Massif Central. The distillation takes place in the commune of Cognac in France.
Grey Goose was sold in the largest ever single brand sale for $2 billion, in cash, to Bacardi.[1] This sale made Frank an estimated profit of $1.6 billion. Incidentally, Frank was also behind the success of Jägermeister before launching Grey Goose. Before his death on January 10, 2006 at the age of 86, his final projects included a premium tequila named Corazon and Crunk!!! energy drink, a joint venture with hip hop entrepreneur Lil' Jon.
Grey Goose vodka is bottled with a replaceable cork rather than a screw-top cap.
[edit] Grey Goose and the low-priced vodka market
When Sidney Frank created Grey Goose, he priced it well above established competitors such as Absolut Vodka. This high price created a perception of quality.[citation needed] Frank's strategy proved successful, as Grey Goose was a financial hit[citation needed] and led to significant changes in the market.[citation needed] Many people attribute Grey Goose as being a major inspiration for the various other high-priced vodkas.[2]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Grey Goose website
- The Cocktail Creationist magazine, January 10, 2005.
- New York Times: A Humble Old Label Ices Its Rivals January 26, 2005. (Relevant to topic on superpremium vodka market.)
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