The two groups are strengthening their partnership in order to offer Pernod Ricard brands to customers of the Jumia e-commerce platform.
"Thanks to this strengthened partnership, Pernod Ricard will be able to offer its vast portfolio of 'premium' brands to a greater number of consumers in Africa", the two companies state in a joint press release. On Tuesday December 18, the world's second largest wine and spirits company announced an investment in the e-commerce site Jumia, of which it becomes a strategic shareholder. A partnership had already existed between the two groups since 2016.
Pernod Ricard will bring its knowledge of consumers and physical distribution networks in Africa, while the e-commerce company will leverage its digital, logistics and payment platforms, the two companies detail. The amount invested has not been made public.
Africa, the "new frontier" of Pernod Ricard
In 2010, after concluding, during a review of its global strategy, that it had "clearly fallen behind" in Africa, the French group accelerated. "Pernod Ricard has made Africa its new frontier, as evidenced by the successive opening of several subsidiaries in recent years", states the press release. The wine and spirits company is notably present in South Africa, Angola, Kenya and Morocco.
"On the African continent, we do not have local production. We only distribute our international brands", a Pernod Ricard communications officer explains to Jeune Afrique. The French group owns brands including Chivas, Jameson and Ballantine's.
Jumia's services available in 14 countries
Jumia's services are available in 14 African countries: Nigeria, Egypt, Morocco, Kenya, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Tunisia, Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda. "We will see what Jumia can offer us in the countries where the group is not present", our interlocutor continues.
Adialea, a joint venture held by CFAO and Carrefour, announced at the end of November 2018 the conclusion of a memorandum of understanding with Jumia, the leader in e-commerce in Africa. A change of direction for the pan-African group, which closed its online sales subsidiary, Africashop, in June. From the beginning of 2019, Carrefour branded food products will be available on the Jumia platform in Senegal, Ivory Coast and Cameroon.
Article source: Jeune Afrique
