Talking to Drinks International, the marketing and communications director claimed the brand will have grown by double-digits in volume terms by the end of 2011.
As the world’s third most consumed champagne brand, Nicolas Feuillatte's 2011 growth follows a 16% increase to 8 million bottles in 2010.
Default said sales have risen consistently since 2000, when the brand sold just 1 million bottles, but that stability was key to lasting success.
“Volume is important but we must be safe in the long term. Nicolas Feuillatte is young, modern and prolific but now we are coming to the age of wisdom.”
According to Default, the volume increase did not come at the expense of value. “We have to be competitive but it does not mean we have to cut prices,” she said.
Fifty percent of the cooperative’s volume is currently consumed domestically - with the UK and the US among its other top markets - but according to Defaut - Asia will become increasingly important to the brand in the future.
“Traditional markets will still be strong but the BRIC countries are developing as markets of the future,” she said.
“China is opening up – it’s a one million-bottle market, but China is like many countries in one. You may know Shanghai – but that’s not like the rest of China. In the BRIC countries you have to find the right [distribution] partners.”
The brand marked its 35th anniversary this year by redesigning its packaging and launching an anniversary bottle.
