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Marc Darroze begins presidency at the BNIA
Marc Darroze has recently been elected as the new president of the Bureau National Interprofessionnel de l'Armagnac (BNIA) following the convening of the general assembly on June 24. Marc succeeds Corinne Lacoste-Bayens, a producer who has been president since 2013.
The BNIA changes its president every three years and the choice of candidate alternates between a producer (one that grows the grapes) and negotiant (a trader, who might also be involved in some part of the production process, though does not grow the grapes) each time.
This change of presidency comes at a time when the whole of the armagnac industry is expressing a strong desire to better represent its strengths and give value to its specific features in a difficult economic environment that however still supports its competitors in the world of spirits.
In a market dominated by strong international spirit brands and boosted by the trend of the artisanal, craft spirit image, armagnac must affirm and clearly assert the values that bear witness to its production over the last 700 years. Authenticity, heritage, culture, anchorage in its geographical and cultural area and quality should naturally make armagnac the craft spirit of reference in the world. As drinks writer Neil Ridley recently said: "Armagnac was ‘craft’ before anyone thought that ‘craft’ was cool."
To support this position and meet the challenges of the armagnac appellation, the key industry players and members of the BNIA’s board of directors have put together an ambitious and innovative plan of action to the general assembly in all fields: traceability, quality and sustainable development and marketing. This strategic plan was validated unanimously and forms the guidelines for the next 3 years that the new president and board of directors will now implement.
This strategic plan embodies a shared vision:
- Consolidate the industry around the notion of strong commitment, creation and sharing of the added value,
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Cultivating technical expertise and creativity
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Asserting its position as the premium craft spirit of reference in the world.
Marc Darroze says: "The Darroze family has always embodied the values of authenticity, quality and heritage in everything it does. Sharing this vision of artisanal excellence that I advocate daily is natural for me. The challenge is extremely motivating and asserting these strong values will doubtlessly lead armagnac to new success in the French and international markets. Every player in the sector must take part in his or her own way, all the time keeping in mind that the legacy that our lands and our ancestors have left us must be respected and enhanced."
18 July 2016 - Rebecca Sterritt Paragraph Publishing, content manager
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