French alcohol brand Pernod Ricard has confirmed discussions for plans to potentially merge with Jack Daniel’s parent company, Brown-Forman.

This potential merger would lead to a major global spirits manufacturer with an expanded brand portfolio and a wider geographical footprint.

Pernod Ricard is the parent company of major alcohol brand names, including Malibu, Absolut Vodka and Jameson.

The new deal would see a major alcohol business being formed, and the companies plan to leverage Brown-Forman’s popular brands and Pernod Ricard’s global distribution network and presence across multiple global markets.

This comes after the French spirits business posted weak results for the first half of FY26, sales declining by 5.9 per cent to around £4.5bn.

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Pernod Ricard’s share of net profit also went down by 20 per cent to £845 m, which was impacted by a significant drop in consumption in the USA and China regional markets.

Alexandre Ricard, chairman and CEO, of Pernod Ricard said at the time: “Our priorities are clear: to strengthen the desirability of our brands as a foundation of long-term, sustainable growth; to drive greater efficiency across the organisation; and to enhance cash generation.

The business has forecasted that sales will continue to decline in the upcoming year due to “volatility” and a wider consumer softness in the alcohol category.

The companies stated no formal agreement has been reached, and Pernod Ricard does not plan to communicate until the deal has been finalised.