Giffard

France

Maison Giffard is a French liqueur and syrup producer founded in Angers, in the Loire Valley, in 1885, when pharmacist Emile Giffard steam-distilled peppermint oil to create a white mint liqueur. That first product, Menthe-Pastille, took its name from the small mint sweets popular at the time, and Giffard converted his pharmacy into a distillery to produce it.

The company has remained a family business for five generations, still owned by the Giffard family and currently run by Edith and Bruno Giffard. Based in Avrillé, Angers, Giffard has been producing syrups since 1905 and opened a syrups facility in Saint-Leger-des-Bois in 2017. The business acquired the Félix Bigallet distillery in 2000 and now produces around 9 million bottles per year.

Giffard produces its range through maceration and distillation of fruits, herbs, and spices, using slow maceration for its liqueurs. Its mint products draw on Black Mitcham peppermint grown locally in the Loire Valley, extracted by steam distillation.

The alcohol-free range spans spirits, liqueurs, aperitif syrups, and a spritz format, positioned for bartenders and mindful drinkers. These products are pasteurised, and the maceration process uses French white wine vinegar alongside a proprietary method to remove the vinegar character from the finished product. Two of the brand's drinks have picked up awards.

Giffard's facility draws 20% of its energy from solar panels, and its bottles are made from 70% recycled glass.

At a Glance