Marseille fans cry foul as iconic pastis maker Ricard teams up with bitter rivals PSG

Dispirited fans of Olympique Marseille have vowed to stop drinking the beloved anise-flavoured aperitif after beverage giant Pernod Ricard announced a commercial partnership with football rivals Paris Saint-Germain, sparking a heated row that has drawn in the mayor of France's second-largest city.

Marseille has long been associated with the French liqueur called pastis.

So when Pernod Ricard, the French liquor group best known for the anise-flavored aperitif, announced a new commercial partnership with Marseille's soccer archrival PSG this week, it left a bad taste in the mouths of Marseille fans.

The hashtag #boycottPernodRicard spread on social media as fans felt betrayed by a company that boasts about its Marseille origins.

Pastis is consumed in all regions of France, but it is particularly popular in the south of the country, where Marseille native Paul Ricard commercialized the drink under his name in 1932. Pernod Ricard was created in 1975 following a merger of Pernod and Ricard, which brought together two French anise-based spirits.

Upset fans said they would stop drinking pastis, or switch to rival brands, while others called for a boycott of the more than 240 brands in the wine and spirits seller's global portfolio.

The issue became so intense that even the mayor of Marseille got involved. Speaking to BFM TV channel, Benoit Payan said he would soon be meeting the group’s CEO, Alexandre Ricard, to “ask for explanations.”

But the precaution has not spared the group from criticism.

Read more on FRANCE 24 English

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