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Henkell Freixenet Picks Up Partnership to Sell, Market, Distribute Korbel Champagnes

May 13, 2025

One day after Korbel and Brown-Forman Corp. announced the end of their longtime partnership, Henkell Freixenet swoops in and will partner with the California champagne producer.

Andy Hanacek

Just a day after the announcement that Korbel Champagne Cellars and Brown-Forman Corp. would be ending a decades-long partnership on sales, marketing and distribution in the U.S., the California champagne company has delivered news that it will partner with global sparkling wine company Henkell Freixenet, which will oversee Korbel’s global sales, marketing and distribution, effective July 1, 2025.

Korbel’s largest market — North America — will be handled by Henkell Freixenet subsidiary Freixenet Mionetto USA.

The two companies have century-plus histories, with Korbel dating back to its founding in Sonoma County, Calif., in 1882, and Henkell Freixenet’s story extending nearly 200 years into the past. Korbel Champagne Cellars produces méthode champenoise champagne (it makes 11 California champagnes, a limited amount of still wine and a brandy) and has been owned and managed by the Heck family since 1954. Henkell Freixenet owns the Freixenet, Mionetto, Henkell, Sekt, Cava, Prosecco, Champagne and Crémant brands as well as other still wines and spirits all over the world.

About the Author

Andy Hanacek | Senior Editor

Andy Hanacek has covered meat, poultry, bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years, and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies, sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain. In 2018, he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs, and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years. In addition, Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety, a food safety software and consulting company.