French winemaking cooperative Les Vignobles Foncalieu has picked Emmanuelle Rivière as its new managing director.
Rivière, formerly the group’s financial director, will lead executive decision-making alongside the company’s chairman Jean-Marie Cassignon.
Go deeper with GlobalData
She replaces Alban Turpin who left the business “a few months ago”, and had already stepped into the role on an interim basis following his departure, the business told Just Drinks.
The Languedoc-based group has been asked to confirm the reason behind Turpin’s exit from the business.
Rivière’s appointment marks the first time Vignobles Foncalieu has promoted someone internally into the position.
“I’ve been lucky enough to work for a company where I’ve always had the support of the teams”, Rivière said in a statement.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalData“The collective, with its diversity of perspectives and skills, enables us to find innovative solutions. It’s by working together that we can reinvent ourselves and succeed”.
Vignobles Foncalieu said it expects to “continues to demonstrate its expertise” with the new management.
Founded in 1967, the Arzens-headquartered winegrower cooperative claims to be the largest in the South of France.
Vignobles Foncalieu represents around 619 vintners and 5200 hectares of vineyards, and has 119 employees.
The red, white and rosé wines producer saw sales reach €59.4m ($64m) in 2023.
The company’s brands include Le Versant, Château Haut Gléon, Atelier Prestige, Via Nostrum, Nu.Vo.Té and Les Extraordinaires.
67% of its sales are made up from white and rosé wines, and it looks to produce 10 million bottles of the rosé specifically in 2025.
The group sells its products worldwide on and off-trade to markets including the US and UK. 65% of the group’s sales come from its export markets.
In January, France’s Languedoc region reported a 15% dip in wine production on a five-year average.
A 2023 vintage report from the trade body Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins du Languedoc (CIVL) attributed the dip to drought and disease.
The worst-affected vineyards were said to be mostly in the south of the region, as a late heatwave damaged already-small berries. Mildew also devastated yields in the west.
