While France remains enamoured with wine, beer, and spirits, its consumers are increasingly reducing their alcohol intake in a bid to keep their health in check. What are the factors affecting this changing attitude towards booze? And how can brands capitalise on this shift?
Mathilde Boulachin is CEO, founder, and owner of Pierre Chavin, one of France’s leading non-alcoholic wine brands. She is involved with a number of trade organisations, including the G20 of entrepreneurs, and won awards for her entrepreneurship and leadership contributions. Before launching Pierre Chavin, Boulachin worked in marketing and communication in Northern Europe.
Christopher Hermelin is marketing director at leading French wine and drinks retailer Nicolas. After starting his career at Havas as director of the banking and insurance department, he joined Fullsix Group (formerly Grey Interactive) as director of the European network.
Elisabeth Pierre is an independent beer expert, author, educator, and international judge with over 25 years of experience. She edits Beers & Mets Magazine and founded the Bierissima Circle, which brings together and celebrates women in beer. Pierre wrote La Bière in 100 styles, Biérographie and the Hachette Guide des Bières at Hachette Pratique.
Dr. Jacopo Mazzeo is a freelance wine and drinks journalist and consultant.
He regularly contributes to leading trade and consumer publications including Wine Enthusiast, Whisky Magazine, Decanter, Meininger, Club Oenologique, Harper's, Pix Wine, and Good Beer Hunting. He consults on consumer trends and marketing strategy and offers copywriting services to drinks firms and agencies. Jacopo is a former sommelier, he judges international wine, beer, and spirits competitions, and sat twice on the board of directors of the British Guild of Beer Writers. Before he embraced full-time journalism, he studied musicology at the University of Bologna and took a PhD at the University of Southampton.