PARIS (Reuters) – French cognac exports to the United States increased in December, according to American customs data, against a backdrop of a recovery in consumption across the Atlantic and the risk of new customs duties imposed by Donald Trump.
The United States is the largest market in volume for French cognac and an outlet that is all the more important for producers as the Chinese market has collapsed, with a 75% year-on-year decline in French exports in December.
Conversely, exports to the United States from Hennessy, owned by LVMH and the leading French producer, increased by more than a third compared to December 2023, according to ImportYeti, a website which collects American customs data.
Those of Courvoisier, owned by Campari, more than doubled over one year.
-Hennessy did not wish to comment. Campari did not immediately respond to requests from Reuters.
(Written by Tassilo Hummel, with Emma Rumney, French version Tangi Salaün)
