Boom of Alcohol-Free Beverages: Luxury Gets on Board

In France, the country of wine and spirits and home to cultural icons like Rabelais and Gargantua, the October acquisition of roughly 30% of French Bloom by Moët Hennessy, LVMH’s Wines and Spirits division, made waves. How could the owner of iconic brands like Moët & Chandon, Ruinart, Cheval Blanc, and Hennessy—hallmarks of French craftsmanship and lifestyle—invest, even as a minority stakeholder, in a non-alcoholic sparkling wine brand?

French Bloom was founded in 2021 by Maggie Frerejean-Taittinger, a former Michelin guide director, and Constance Jablonski, a model. They were later joined by Maggie’s husband, Rodolphe Frerejean-Taittinger, CEO of Champagne Frerejean Frères and French Bloom. Now present in 30 countries, the brand produced 500,000 bottles this year, with prices ranging from €29 for sparkling white to €109 for the 2022 vintage cuvée. “This collaboration aligns with Moët Hennessy’s key strategic initiatives,” stated Philippe Schaus, Moët Hennessy’s CEO, in a press release (set to be replaced by Jean-Jacques Guiony on February 1, 2025). The transaction amount, typically undisclosed in such cases, is estimated at around €15 million. Moët Hennessy confirmed a minority stake of about 30%, as reported by Bloomberg.

Meanwhile, another French brand, Moderato, calling itself the “pioneer of French non-alcoholic wines,” raised €3 million to support its growth domestically and internationally. Investors include the venture fund Eutopia, the cooperative wine group Vivadour, and family offices like Hériard-Dubreuil (of Cognac Rémy Martin), or alternatively, Xinomavro Ventures, a group of business angels specializing in innovation in the wine sector. “In nearly four years, Moderato has already secured 1,000 sales points in France and over 500 abroad across 10 countries, with 250 locations in Quebec” said the group in a press release. “Since its founding, it has sold 350,000 bottles.” Why the difference in valuation between French Bloom and Moderato? “What the group is buying,” explains a Champagne executive from LVMH anonymously, “is not just a product, whose quality and sales can be debated, but a brand with promising growth potential.”