Company targets zero fossil fuel consumption to produce bourbon
12/2022: Gov. Andy Beshear announced a new job creation within Kentucky’s bourbon industry as Pernod Ricard USA LLC, 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, creating 55 full-time jobs with a $196 million investment. The project has potential to grow to a $250 million investment across 10 years.
“The commonwealth’s bourbon industry continues to gain momentum and grow to new heights,” said Gov. 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.”
Pernod Ricard will construct a new 75,000-square-foot facility on a 265-acre site in Lebanon. The site will include a distillery, drying operation, three warehouses and a world-class visitor center. Work on the facility is expected to begin in January 2023 and be completed by July 2024. The Marion County facility will be fully carbon neutral and will have zero fossil fuel consumption to produce bourbon. Pernod Ricard is only the second distillery in Kentucky and North America to make this claim. Pernod Ricard will be a 7.5 million proof-gallon distillery, producing 115,000 barrels annually. The company’s purpose for the project is threefold: to build the most sustainable distillery in North America, which supports Pernod Ricard’s fundamental focus on sustainability, support their rapidly growing Jefferson’s brand, and support their existing American whiskey operations in West Virginia, Texas and Kentucky.
Pernod Ricard holds one of the most comprehensive portfolios within the spirits industry, with 240 premium brands available in over 160 countries. A global leader in wine and spirits, with 18,500 employees worldwide, Pernod Ricard will be building one of the largest LEED-certified distilleries globally and the first to locate in the commonwealth.
Photo: Pernod Ricard / KY CED
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