Born to a family of wine growers, François Thibault studied oenology in Bordeaux for seven years before becoming a cellar master in Cognac.
He remained in the job for 25 years until he was convinced by Sidney Frank, the American businessman behind Jägermeister’s colossal rise in popularity, to start making vodka instead.
At the time, he didn’t even have one bottle of the spirit in his house, but a year after he launched Grey Goose, his creation was declared the best vodka in the world.
You were a cognac producer before you founded Grey Goose. How did you find the move into vodka?
Alcohol has always been in my family – my father was a wine grower, by being in contact with nature at such a young age already knew I wanted to work with nature from early on. I studied oenology in Bordeaux for 7 years before moving to work with Cognac. It was during this time, in the early 1990s, that I was approached by Sidney Frank, the American businessman who brought Jägermeister to the world. Sidney was a visionary with the ambition to premiumize his Vodka. He needed a name but most necessarily needed a quality.
Until that point, vodka production was dominated by eastern-Europe and Russia. It was almost unthinkable that we could make it elsewhere, but as someone who loves a challenge, I wanted to see if I could turn my Cognac-blending abilities to this new sphere. I started from scratch, using new raw materials that hadn’t been used in vodka creation before and created a new fermenting process. Finally, in 1997 Sidney’s dream was realised and we launched Grey Goose, which one year later would be hailed as the world’s best-tasting vodka.
Within a year after launching in 1997, Grey Goose was named the best tasting vodka in the world? How proud a moment was that?
Very much indeed! It’s a true honour when something that you have created is recognised for its quality. I have always believed that if you start off with great ingredients, you will have a great end product which is what we have done in the creation of Grey Goose. From the soft winter wheat which we get from the fields of Picardy – an area known as the bread basket if France – to the mineral rich water used for the finished Grey Goose liquid, we use only the finest ingredients.
By 2004, Grey Goose was the best-selling premium brand vodka in the United States. Why do you think the vodka proved so popular so quickly?
I believe Grey Goose not only arrived at the right time, but also it embodied a certain art de vivre’ that people were looking for. It broke all the codes within the “super premium” segment by demonstrating that it was possible to associate vodka with the most refined luxury spirits. I am proud and glad it became the world reference in vodkas.
The same year, Grey Goose was sold to Bacardi for $2.2bn – was that a difficult decision?
In my mind it wasn’t about money, I’m not a part of the financial team. My role was to continue its elaboration and to ensure Grey Goose’s quality.
What do you think was the single biggest factor behind your success?
With a result of such a success, everything shares the same importance. Every single detail contributes to this success. It is a set of many important factors that are generated by market research, its marketing, the design of the bottle, and the whole process of the transformation with the wheat from Picardie
Was it strange to go from outsider to mainstream so quickly? How did that affect your marketing of the vodka?
Yes and no. We had a feeling that if we made something which tasted great and used only the finest ingredients then it would become popular. but the speed in which this happened was astounding because it had never taken off so quickly before.
We haven’t really changed our marketing as our brand position and our message has always been the same. We feel it’s very important to be constant with our story. What we have changed is how we connect with our consumers. We need to ensure we’re on the same channels that they would use and move into new spheres via these platforms.
For the flavoured vodkas, the paintings of each fruit piece is inspired by a painter Paul Cézanne from the late 1800s
Positioning yourself as a ‘status drink’, presumably your competitors were not only vodka brands but also premium whisky and cognac brands?
We haven’t really changed our marketing as our brand position and our message has always been the same. We feel it’s very important to be constant with our story. What we have changed is how we connect with our consumers. We need to ensure we’re on the same channels that they would use and move into new spheres via these platforms.
A big part of Grey Goose’s appeal is the stunning bottle – how long did that take to design?
The design of the bottle has been developed during the eight months of testing necessary for the development of Grey Goose. The idea was to design elegant bottle symbolling the Goose screen-printed with organic ink. For the flavoured Vodkas, the paintings of each fruit piece is inspired by a painter Paul Cézanne from the late 1800s.
Does it make you wince a little if you see somebody mixing Grey Goose with, say, Red Bull?
Effectively, it is a widely spread way of consumption. Vodkas are made to be mixed, it is all down to the consumers decision. I invite certain consumers to just simply discover the qualities of Grey Goose neat or in a Martini version.
What made you bring back Grey Goose La Vanille?
When we first launch Grey Goose La Vanille in 2003, it was a great hit. It was the first super premium vodka made with 100% Natural vanilla and no added sugar with nothing genetically modified.
There are a few reasons why we decided to bring it back. The first is the demand we were getting from our friends in the industry namely bartenders. When we took it off line, Grey Goose La Vanille became a cult classic flavour, and we have been asked to make it again since them! Without it on the shelves for the past fifteen years they have been rationing the stock they had remaining and keeping it one of the industry’s best kept secrets.
The second reason was the demand from consumer. With the evolution in consumer habits in recent years, and more of a focus on quality products, coupled with the rise in popularity of flavoured vodkas, we believe now is the right time to re-launch the product to market once again.
What cocktail best showcases Grey Goose?
It has to be a Grey Goose Dry Martini. It’s an iconic cocktail anyway but drinking Grey Goose in this way reveals all the intrinsic qualities of the vodka. As a cocktail, a Martini needs careful preparation. It is very important not to shake it but stir with ice instead. By making the drink this way, you can achieve the ideal dilution (approximately 20%). I’d suggest using a touch of French vermouth Noilly Prat, it adds subtle wine notes. Next step, the garnish! Depending on your taste, it could be combined with olives or lemon zest. All that’s needed to do now is to enjoy!
It’s crazy to think Grey Goose has barely been around for two decades. Where do you see the company in 20 years’ time?
The company I don’t know, all I know is that I’ll be 20 years older! What I hope, is that Grey Goose remains as popular as It is today. I also hope that it turns into a timeless Vodka, which is the behaviour of all big luxury brands.
