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Drinks Americas Enters Partnership with Frances Abecassis and Leyrat Estate Bottled Cognac

^{Published on 2008-11-20 08:45:06 - Market Wire}
 

WILTON, Conn.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Drinks Americas Holdings, Ltd. (OTC BB: DKAM) (Drinks Americas or the "Company) announced today that it has entered into a partnership with Domaine Maillard and Francis Abecassis, the maker of Leyrat Cognac, to market the award-winning and historic estate bottled cognac as part of Drinks Americas' iconic business model and ongoing portfolio expansion.

J. Patrick Kenny, the Company's President and CEO, said, "When the Company set out to expand into the cognac category with its proven business model of venturing with marketing partners of iconic status, part of the challenge was dealing with a worldwide shortage of immediate supply of high quality product. We launched a year-long search to find a partner with substantial inventory, superior quality and a classic award-winning history. After an exhaustive search and taste selection process involving the participation of our iconic partners, Drinks Americas and Francis Abecassis have joined forces to market Estate Bottled Leyrat Cognac on a worldwide basis."

The Company's partnership with Abecassis grants to the Company the perpetual distribution rights to Leyrat Cognac in the United States as well as a participation in distribution in global markets. The first shipments of product will arrive in the United States in December. The Company has presold 1100 six-bottle cases of Estate Bottled Leyrat VSOP, XO and XO Elite. The Company hopes that, on average, the Leyrat VSOP will retail in the range of $59.00 per bottle, the Leyrat XO in the range of $169.00 per bottle, and the XO Elite will be marketed at a consumer price of $299.00 per bottle.

In the first half of 2009, Leyrat Glory and Glory Diamond Selections will be unveiled. They are being crafted by Francis Abecassis working directly with Drinks Americas' icon marketing partners, all of whom will be visiting the estate vineyard to taste selected product and design decanters in keeping with their artistic direction.

J. Patrick Kenny continued, "It has been extremely important to us and for our icon partners that the selected line of cognac be of unparalleled quality and taste. For over 200 years, that is what consumers who appreciate fine cognac have found from Domaine Maillard's Estate Bottled Leyrat Cognac. We look forward to an exciting path to market with this brand and our iconic business model which we know will generate tremendous market excitement, trial and, ultimately, substantial revenue and profits. In the coming weeks, we and our iconic marketing partners will start to unveil an exciting marketing program so all consumers who appreciate a superior cognac of great taste and quality can discover Leyrat Estate Bottled Cognac."

Kenny concluded, "A fine estate bottled Cognac would be successful in competitive terms if after several years it was selling several thousand cases annually. The Company, by simply providing tasting samples and describing the anticipated iconic marketing partnership, has already generated orders for 1100 six-bottle cases for our opening month of shipments in only three markets. We are very satisfied with this unprecedented start, and our excitement with the prospects for our new cognac line grows each time we share our plans with our customers."

About Frances Abecassis

For more than 200 years, Domaine Maillard, with its exceptional hilltop location, has been producing fine cognac. The district in which the estate is located used to be called "Champagne de Blanzac". The "Champagne" reference deals with the exceptional nature of the soil which makes for a fantastic place to grow vineyards.

Domaine de Chez Maillard has been the property of the Leyrat family for several generations. Leyrat Cognacs are served in top restaurants throughout France. The award-winning cognac has been served on the cognac list of the Kremlin in Moscow for close to three decades.

The impressive list of awards demonstrate the outstanding quality of the spirits produced at Domaine de Chez Maillard.

In the mid 90's, the estate was taken over by Francis Abécassis, a well known icon of the new wine business in the region. He has steadily invested in new cognac vineyards, state of the art vinification tools, as well as in the new French oak barrels that are required every year for maturation. Francis now owns more than 250 hectares of land in the region, enjoys a stock of close to the equivalent of 3 million 700ml bottles, with an average age of 15 years, and will be able to supply both the U.S. and worldwide expansion of Leyrat Cognac with Drinks Americas.

About Drinks Americas

Drinks Americas was founded in 2004 by J. Patrick Kenny, a leading expert in beverage sales and marketing. Mr. Kenny developed his industry expertise in a variety of management positions at the world's leading beverage companies, including Joseph E. Seagram & Sons and The Coca-Cola Company. He has also acted as advisor to several Fortune 500 beverage marketing companies, and has participated in several major beverage industry transactions.

Drinks Americas develops, owns, markets, and nationally distributes alcoholic and non-alcoholic premium beverages associated with renowned icon celebrities. For further information concerning Drinks Americas and the products that they represent, please visit their website at [ www.drinksamericas.com ].

Safe Harbor

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including the description of the company and its product offerings, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including the historical volatility and low trading volume of our stock, the risk and uncertainties inherent in the early stages of growth companies, the company's need to raise substantial additional capital to proceed with its business, risks associated with competitors, and other risks detailed from time to time in the company's most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. The company disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.