Moët Hennessy buys 50% stake in Jay-Z's Armand de Brignac

Moët Hennessy has purchased a 50% stake in Jay-Z’s Armand de Brignac champagne brand for an undisclosed sum.

The Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Dom Perignon and Ruinart producer hailed Armand de Brignac as “a worldwide success” with “an outstanding position in the high energy channels”.

Hip-hop superstar Jay-Z bought the brand in November 2014. It sold more than 500,000 bottles in 2019, with a strong presence in North America, Asia and Europe.

Philippe Schaus, president and chief executive at Moët Hennessy, said: “For years we have been following the fantastic success of Armand de Brignac and admiring their ability to challenge some of the rules of the Champagne category.

“Often referred to as ‘Ace of Spades’, Armand de Brignac breaks barriers and reflects contemporary luxury, while preserving the traditions of the Champagne terroirs.

“Today, we are incredibly proud to be partnering with them and believe that the combination of our Champagne experience and international network coupled with Shawn Jay-Z Carter's vision, the strength of the Armand de Brignac brand and quality of its range of prestige cuvées will allow us to take the business to new heights across the world.”

Jay-Z added: “I’m proud to welcome the Arnault family into ours through this partnership that began with Alexandre Arnault and continued with his father Bernard Arnault and Philippe Schaus, at my home in Los Angeles.

“It is a partnership that has felt familiar the entire time. We are confident that the sheer power of the Moët Hennessy global distribution framework, its unparalleled portfolio strength and its long-established track record of excellence in developing luxury brands will give Armand de Brignac the commercial power it needs to grow and flourish even further.”