Champagne est Or

[Radilo]

Krönstad, Grand Duchy of Champagne, Kingdom of Arendaal

Inside a Bugatti limousine sat Jas Louis Moët Hennessy, the current head of the powerful Hennessy Family. He was the most recent in a long line of Jas Hennessies, going back to the late eighteenth century with the companies founder Jas Richard. Jas Richard was the younger son of a Monteliman Nobel and, unable to inherit his father's title and estate, he had immigrated to Radilo, then a colony of Montelimar. He founded a vineyard in Cognac, which quickly grew to be one of the largest in the world. He traveled the world to sell his wine and eau-de-vies (brandies). While in Arendaal, he met Josephine Moët, a member of the aristocratic Moët family. They were married, both taking the name Moët Hennessy. Jas Richard changed his company name to reflect this: Jas Hennessy - Moët and Chandon (JHMC).

The established Moët was not happy about this, and the two companies have sued each other multiple times over naming rights. Aren Luxury Enterprises (ALE), who bought the origional Moët in 1963, has now agreed to listen to an offer from JHMC to buy the Aren version of its name sake and end the 200 year old dispute.

A meeting has been arranged in Krönstad, where Jas Louis is to make his offer to a representative of ALE. The capital of Champagne was chosen to avoid any unwanted market speculation that would occur if the meeting were held in Amyn Arnen.

 

[Arendaal]

[WIKI]Aren Luxury Enterprises[/WIKI] Administrative Centre
Krönstad, Grand Duchy of Champagne, Kingdom of Arendaal

Clarisse de Dreux, CEO of [WIKI]Aren Luxury Enterprises[/WIKI] (ALE), sat behind a magnificent mohogany desk in one of ALE's many buildings in the city of Krönstad. To deflect any possible media attention or market speculation, ALE's upcoming meeting with the JHMC group was being held away from the Aren capital and, purposefully, not even Krönstad's [WIKI]Moet et Chandon[/WIKI] headquarters.

ALE's shareholders were open to selling the brand name, wishing to avoid future ligitation over naming rights. But Clarisse was not at all happy about the situation. She had been head of the company since 2008 and had since aspired to make ALE the single largest luxury conglomerate in Europe. Whether she had succeeded in this endeavour was still disputable, but that it was one of the most prestigious was an established fact. Selling off an established brand name seemed at odds with her plans for expansion.

Still, as her managing directors had pointed out, if the offer was beneficial enough, perhaps they could consider it. Certain concessions, they admitted, would be necessary: Moët's Aren wineries would still have to produce this particular type of Champagne. If such conditions could be met, maybe they could do business.

There was a knock on her door: Jas Hennessy had arrived. Clarisse rose and walked confidently towards the waiting elevator, en route to the boardroom chosen for the meeting.

 

[Radilo]

“Bonjour,” said Jas, as he stood up to greet his counterpart after she had walked into the conference room. The two shook hands.

“I am Jas Louis. It is a pleasure to meet you. I hope you will forgive my English; I have not spoken the language much since college,” he said sitting down. “I will not waste your time with further pleasantries. As you know I am here to make ALE a very reasonable offer to buy the Moët & Chandon vineyards, winery, and name. I speak on behalf of my family and with their blessing.

JHMC is prepared to offer a lump sum of six billion euros for Moët. We are also prepared to offer to buy four billion euros of non-voting preferred stock in ALE over the next five years. We are also willing to sign onto any agreements that would limit future alterations to Moët for the next fifty years.

I would like to say though, that the last part will not effect how we would normally operate a company that we buy. Its existing management and employees will retain their positions, its fundamental business practices shall remain in place as well. As anyone who works for Rémy Martin or Portier Beers will attest, we do not change what goes on at a company when we buy it. I can promise you, and the King of Arendaal, that nothing will change about Moët & Chandon, except for who the parent company is.”

Jas leaned back in his chair, smiled, and waited for his counterpart’s response.

 

[Arendaal]

Clarisse raised an eyebrow a fraction of an inch as Jas spoke, the only indication she gave of her surprise. The 6 billion lump sum was a reasonable offer, but what was more welcome and certainly less anticipated was the readiness with which JHMC agreed to make no changes in Moët & Chandon. It was an excellent strategy, she knew, and one which she would find it difficult to advise the ALE board against.

"Your proposals are generous, sir" she began, "Naturally I have no objection to JHMC's offer to buy four billion Euros of non-voting preferred stock in our company over the next five years. And of course your guarantee that Moët & Chandon would remain unchanged in all but the name of its parent company greatly sets our minds at rest. You may appreciate that with such an long-standing and prestigious Aren brand, our main concern is to protect the integrity of the Moët company and those working for it.

I think I may safely say, sir, that if you were to increase your offer from a lump sum of 6, to say for example, 8 billion, I can offer you every assurance that ALE would be willing to sell. With your continued assurance that Moët & Chandon would remain a distinctly Aren brand, of course," she finished with a smile.

 

[Radilo]

“JHMC is willing to raise its lump sum offer to eight billion euros with the promise to buy three billion non-voting preferred stock over the next five years. We will maintain our position of not altering the practices and traditions of Moët. If these terms are favorable, then I suggest a drink.”

Jas took out a bottle and two crystal snifters from a briefcase he had brought. The bottle was that of Henri IV, the three million euro bottle of cognac that had made such a fuss when it was first introduced. The bottle had been opened before; the Hennessies used it for other big time deals. Jas was with the CEO of Portier when he had enjoyed it last.

Jas knew that this offer would be hard to refuse.

 

[Arendaal]

Clarisse's eyes widened momentarily when Jas brought out the priceless bottle of cognac. But she regained her composure and said smoothly, with the shadow of a confident smile crossing her glacial patrician face: “The lump sum of eight billion euros and the promise to buy" she stressed, "three point five billion non-voting preferred stock”, and I believe we would have a deal Mr. Hennessy.

 

[Radilo]

“To that offer Mademoiselle, I say saluté.”

Jas poured the liquor into the glasses, and handed one to Clarisse.

“I will have my attorneys present the proposal to your board of directors. The transaction will be completed within a day or so. It has been a pleasure. Saluté”

“Saluté.”

They clicked their glasses together and sipped the priceless spirit.

 

[Arendaal]

Clarisse smiled, pleased with the negotiation. Moet et Chandon would remain an Aren company owned by a foreign parent company and the jobs of thousands would be protected. What was more, the sum Jas has agreed to pay would make a neat little profit for ALE and would surely please its board of directors.

She sipped the exquisite liquor delicately.

"A pleasure doing business with you, Monsieur"

 

[Radilo]

"The pleasure is all mine, Mademoiselle. If you would be so kind to join me for a meal, my treat... I do not know any of the good restraunts."

It took over 200 years but that damn name dispute was finally over. And JHMC had finally aquired the crown jewel that it so long sought; there was now no beverage company in the world that could stand up to it. It had not come cheap, but the best things always cost money. This was as much the attitued of Hennessy and Moet drinkers, as it was of Jas Hennessy - Moet & Chandon.