This new addition joins Pernod’s Gin Hub which has a portfolio consisting of Beefeater, Monkey 47, Plymouth and Malfy.
Olly Wehring, drinks editor at Globaldata, said: "Pernod Ricard's latest foray into the gin category appears on first reflection to be overkill.
“Boasting a stable that includes household name Beefeater and category stalwart Plymouth, with the addition of Japan's Ki No Bi, following Germany's Monkey 47 and Italian brand Malfy into the portfolio, Pernod could be accused - fairly - of spreading itself thin in gin.
"The method behind the madness, however, sits in Ki No Bi's ultra-premium positioning. With its namesake expression carrying a retail price in the UK of around £45, Pernod's strategy matches the likes of its rival, Diageo, who three years ago added high-end brand Casamigos to a tequila portfolio aimed squarely at the more wealthy consumer.
"Pernod's strategy is a win-win. Either Ki No Bi is a success, or, if it isn't, the French group will have invested relatively little money - and time - on buying into an existing brand instead of building a new one."
