Yerevan, July 25 /Mediamax/. The Yerevan Brandy Company (YBC), which makes part of the international Pernod Ricard Group, summed up the results of 2005-2006 fiscal years (from July 1, 2005 to June 30, 2006).

The news conference in YBC big tasting hall was dedicated to the summation. President and Director General of the company Herve Caroff, YBC PR-Manager Zara Nazarian and YBC Financial Director Igor Arakelian attended the news conference, Mediamax reports.

YBC PR-Manager Zara Nazarian said that the company successfully implements the policy of increasing the share of aged brandies in the overall sales volume. Thus, last year YBC sales volumes in super premium segment [“Nairi” and “Prazdnichny” brandies] grew by 36%, which is a “brilliant result,” Zara Nazarian said.

The total volume of YBC investments in 2005FY stood at 2bln AMD. Most of the investments were directed to the expansion and modernization of industrial capacities. Particularly, 250mln AMD was invested into YBC’s Armavir, and 260mln AMD into Aygevan branches. These investments enable the Yerevan Brandy Company to significantly increase the possibilities of purchasing grapes from the farmers.

The number of YBC contracts with the farmers has reached 5.500. According to Zara Nazarian, each year YBC awards the best farmer-partners of the company with a trip to France, during which they visit Paris and Cognac.

This fall, the YBC is planning to purchase about 30 000 tones of high-quality grapes. Last year, the company purchased 23.500 tones of grapes, in 2004 - 19.000 tones. YBC Financial Director Igor Arakelian specified that the storage of company’s brandy spirit makes 15mln liters, and after the fall purchase this figure will reach 16mln tones.

Although Russia is a “number-one” market for the Yerevan Brandy Company, the sales volumes on other markets also keep growing. Last year YBC sales volumes in Baltic states [Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania] grew by 160%, in Ukraine - by 22%. The sales volumes in Germany and Israel have grown nearly by 80%.

Herve Caroff, YBC President and Director General said that the company has concluded an agreement with new large U.S. distributor and has recently sent the first 5 containers of its production to the United States.

According to YBC Financial Director Igor Arakelian, the company’s turnover in 2005 totaled 19bln AMD (growth 9%). The net income of the company has grown by 8%. This year the YBC is planning to provide 11% growth of sales volumes.