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De Kuyper Royal Distillers, the Netherlands-based spirits producer, has agreed to sell its Mandarine Napoleon brand to Iconic Nectars, a French family-owned spirits group. The transaction, executed through Iconic Nectars’ subsidiary Pages-Vedrenne, is expected to complete by the start of April 2026 for an undisclosed sum.
The divestment aligns with De Kuyper’s long-term strategy to sharpen its focus on its core cocktail categories and grow the global cocktail category. The company intends to prioritise its primary brands, including De Kuyper liqueurs, peach liqueurs, and premixed cocktail solutions. Mandarine Napoleon, a 38% abv blend of Sicilian mandarin peels and 10-year-old cognac, had been part of the firm’s portfolio since its acquisition in 2009.
Leo Evers, CEO of De Kuyper Royal Distillers, commented: “While we are incredibly proud of Mandarine Napoléon’s journey under our stewardship, this decision aligns with our ongoing strategy to sharpen our focus on our core business: growing the global cocktail category”.
The move follows several years of portfolio adjustments for the Dutch group, which strengthened its position in the cocktail market by acquiring the Archers brand from Diageo in 2022. Iconic Nectars stated the acquisition would strengthen its mission to preserve and develop authentic heritage liqueurs alongside its existing French portfolio, which includes Izarra and Cognac Paulet.
Source: Global Drinks Intel / The Spirits Business
