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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Pernod Ricard USA Plans Marion County, Kentucky, Distillery

12/13/2022
Pernod Ricard USA, which produces leading brands such as Jefferson’s, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Absolut Vodka, Glenlivet and Chivas Brothers, will establish a new distillery in Marion County, Kentucky. The $196 million project is expected to create 55 jobs in Marion County.

The company will construct a 75,000-square-foot facility on a 265-acre site in Lebanon, which will be fully carbon neutral and will have zero fossil fuel consumption to produce bourbon. The investment will include a distillery, drying operation, three warehouses and a world-class visitor center. Work on the facility is scheduled to begin in January 2023 and be completed by July 2024.

“American whiskey is booming, and Jefferson’s growth has been phenomenal,” said Ann Mukherjee, chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard North America. “We’re very bullish on the brand’s potential, and we’re committed to making our new Jefferson’s facility one of the most exemplary and sustainable distilleries in the world in order to achieve it.”

To encourage investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) preliminarily approved a 15-year incentive agreement with the company under the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based agreement can provide up to $1.6 million in tax incentives based on the company’s investment of at least $181 million and annual targets of creation and maintenance of 55 Kentucky-resident, full-time jobs across 15 years; and paying an average hourly wage of $82.35 including benefits across those jobs.

By meeting its annual targets over the agreement term, the company can be eligible to keep a portion of the new tax revenue it generates. The company may claim eligible incentives against its income tax liability and/or wage assessments.

“The commonwealth’s bourbon industry continues to gain momentum and grow to new heights,” noted Governor Andy Beshear. “This investment by Pernod Ricard is a welcome addition to the Lebanon and Marion County community and will reinforce our bourbon industry and set us apart in our continued sustainability efforts. I want to thank the leaders of Pernod Ricard for their vision to grow in Kentucky, and I look forward to seeing their success in the coming years.”

In addition, Pernod Ricard can receive resources from Kentucky’s workforce service providers. Those include no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job-training incentives.

“We are so grateful that Pernod Ricard has chosen Marion County as its home to not only expand its bourbon footprint, but also provide an unparalleled visitor center experience for bourbon lovers across the globe,” added Marion County Economic Development Executive Director Brooklyn Leep.

Pernod Ricard was founded in 1975 from the merger of two French anise-based spirits companies: Pernod, created in 1805, and Ricard, created in 1932. The company holds one of the most comprehensive portfolios within the industry, with 240 premium brands available in over 160 countries, including Jameson Irish Whiskey, Absolut Vodka, Glenlivet and Chivas Brothers.

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