Perfect Vodka is produced in the region of Fougerolles, France. The vodka has an organic certification, and is gluten and GMO free. It's distilled five times, cotton filtered and made from Blé Tendre, wheat grown in the Brie Champagne region of France. The water used in the production of Perfect Vodka comes from a natural spring located in the Vosges region of France.[1]
History
editIn 2004, Mark Smith, the original owner of the brand and President of Legacy Imports, wanted to introduce a vodka into the market that was well-made and used natural ingredients which was why Smith decided on “Perfect” as the name. After visiting several distilleries in France, Smith chose Grandes Distilleries Peureux because of its traditional distillation process.[2] The “1864” became part of the name in reference to the year the Grandes Distilleries Peureux was created. The distillery is known specifically for the production of Griottines and their use of fruits in the distillation process. Grandes Distilleries Peureux then partnered with Brie Champagne Distilleries to create the product which became available to the public in 2005. Perfect 1864 is the first vodka to be produced by Peureux. A grassroots marketing campaign was designed to promote Perfect 1864 Vodka[3] but was not as successful as anticipated and the brand never gained momentum in the mainstream market.
In 2013, entrepreneur Dennis Cunningham of Perfect Brands LLC in Palm Beach, Florida acquired the company; the terms of sale were undisclosed. The 1864 was dropped from the name, but the product is still produced through the French distilleries. In October of 2013, Perfect Brands LLC trademarked the new name discontinuing the use of the 1864 in the title. Cunningham is also the owner of Bid-A-Builder.com, a website where contractors can "bid" for various re-modeling jobs for home owners and businesses.
Awards
editPerfect Vodka was awarded a gold medal ranking in the 2014 International Craft Spirits Awards.
Production and marketing
editPerfect Vodka requires certificates of origin and quality of ingredient on individually produced batches. This policy is similar to that of the appellation control system that France maintains to ensure the quality and consistency of the ingredients in its wines, champagnes and cognacs.[4] This organic certification process and the use of spring water in the production of Perfect Vodka is what gives it an organic label, while the use of the Ble’T endre wheat and its distillation process is what makes it gluten and GMO free.[5] Perfect Vodka is available in the United States and is trademarked in 23 countries across the world.
Currently, Perfect Vodka is not ranked as a top-selling premium vodka on the market. Competing with the likes of Grey Goose (vodka), Ketel One, Absolute and Stolichnaya, to name a few, will require innovative marketing and business techniques, like Absolute did with it's artistic print campaign.[6] A celebrity endorsement, like Ciroc did with Sean "Puffy" Combs, might be another option for the brand, but it's likely that a new business model might be a better avenue if the product is to succeed amongst the top-brands in the world.[7] The organic and GMO-free label may be a start, however the rise of cheap "premium" vodka brands seems to be having the most success in competing with larger companies.[8]
References
edit- ^ Company website
- ^ “'Perfect' Vodka Maker Creates a Stir” 10-02-2010 Dana Nickola
- ^ “The Perfect Vodka Acquires a Perfect National Sales Director” 05-14-2010
- ^ “Appellations” France’s appellation system
- ^ "Organic Education" Organic FAQs
- ^ "10 Most Popular Brands of Premium Vodka" by Colleen Graham
- ^ "Wodka And A New Business Model; Cheap, Premium Vodka" 6-17-2011 Agustino Fontevecchia
- ^ "Vodka: Clear and Present Danger" 4-28-2011
9. http://craftcompetition.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Peureux-Perfect-Vodka-1864.png
