U.S. cognac maker39;s most important market
Industry suffered from trade tensions in the past
Yearend shipments up significantly

PARIS, Jan 17 Reuters French cognac makers increased shipments to the United States in December, trade data showed, as distributors fill up their stocks to prepare for possible new tariffs while demand in the country shows signs of improvement.

France39;s cognac industry is particularly exposed to the U.S. market, its biggest by volume, and memories of a trade dispute in Presidentelect Donald Trump39;s first term sparked fears it could return.

LVMH39;s Hennessy, the largest producer, increased the amount of cognac it delivered by 17 compared with last month and by more than a third when compared to the same month the year before, U.S. import records from ImportYeti showed.

Campariowned Courvoisier more than doubled its exports to the country in December from both the previous month and the same month last year.

Hennessy declined to comment while Campari did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment.

The data was part of a wider pattern of increased U.S. cognac exports at the end of 2024, an industry source said on Friday, driven by the prospect of additional tariffs under incoming President Donald Trump and a general market improvement.

Trump has threatened to impose acrosstheboard tariffs of 10 on foreignmade goods in a bid to eliminate the country39;s trade deficit. Europe39;s spirits industry could be hit even harder by…