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Castel Group (French Groupe Castel) is a French beverage company. It was established in 1949 by Pierre Castel, who continues to run the company as a family-owned concern.
Castel is the largest French wine producer and owns the biggest French and foreign wine brands distributed in France. Castel Group is also the French leader for table wines and the number four for beers and soft drinks in Africa (after SABMiller, Heineken N.V., and Guinness), and—after Constellation Brands and Gallo—number four for wine worldwide. Castel claims to have a 25 percent share of profits from the African beer market.
In 2022, French anti-terrorism prosecutors opened an investigation into allegations of potential complicity in made against Groupe Castel in the Central African Republic (CAR), citing deals to provide armed militia UPC with cash and vehicle support in order to secure regional market position.Sarah Morland and Tassilo Hummel (2 July 2022), French prosecutors open war crime probe linked to Groupe Castel unit in Central African Republic Reuters.
Since 2008 Groupe Castel has made more efforts to decrease its dependence on the French market and become more visible in English speaking countries, Eastern Europe, and the Eastern Asia, primarily China.
As of 2015, Castel owns 1,400 ha of vineyards in France and 1,600 ha in Morocco, Tunisia, and Ethiopia in Africa. It produced 640 million bottles, 59% for the French market.
A Haut-Médoc AOC wine is also produced, under the name Les Hauts de Lestac, and is marketed as a high-end version of Baron de Lestac. Les Hauts de Lestac , accessed April 5, 2010
In 2007, at 750,000 cases (9 million bottles), Baron de Lestac was the third most selling Bordeaux brand behind Mouton Cadet and Castel's Malesan, and the fastest-growing. Jane Anson: Bordeaux Regional Analysis (February 2008)
Major beer brands are Flag and Castel. The company produces 28 million of beer and soft drinks in Africa each year.
In 2001, SABMiller acquired 20 percent of Castel's African Beverages operations and Castel acquired 38 percent of SABMiller Africa and SABMiller Botswana. An update of the partnership in 2012 saw the two combine their Nigerian businesses under SABMiller's control with their Angolan businesses set to be handled by Castel.
Baron de Lestac
Baron de Lestac is a Bordeaux wine brand owned by Groupe Castel. Groupe Castel: Baron de Lestac , accessed April 5, 2010 Baron de Lestac is produced as a red wine (a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) and a white wine (a blend of Sauvignon blanc and Sémillon), both Bordeaux AOC wines and produced with an influence of oak. Baron de Lestac: Grape varieties, accessed April 5, 2010 Baron de Lestac: The use of oak barrels, accessed April 5, 2010 The wine is sold in a variety of containers including bottles and bag-in-box.
Beer
In 1990, it purchased a major competitor in African beer, Brasseries et Glacières Internationales (BGI). In 1994 Castel added La Société de Limonaderies et Brasseries d'Afrique (SOLIBRA) that is focused on soft drinks. In 2003 the company bought Brasseries du Maroc, 2011 Brasseries Star Madagascar, and 2014 Nouvelle Brasserie de Madagascar.
Other
Castel produces olive oil from Morocco and maintains sugar plantations in Africa.
List of Castel Chateaux and Estates
External links
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