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Spirits large Diageo is increasing its agave spirits portfolio with the acquisition of Casa UM, proprietor of the Mezcal Unión model.
Mezcal Unión will be a part of the Diageo Reserve portfolio
Mezcal Unión was based in 2011 by a gaggle of Mexican entrepreneurs with the purpose of rising the class and maintaining conventional manufacturing strategies alive.
Its spirits are made by partnering with a community of agave farmers and distillers, adhering to artisanal strategies.
Diageo has labored with Mezcal Unión for the previous 5 years, rising the Oaxacan model’s distribution in Mexico, the US and past. Now the worldwide agency has agreed to purchase the mezcal’s mother or father firm, Casa UM, for an undisclosed sum.
The Johnnie Walker proprietor will usher Mezcal Unión into its Reserve portfolio together with agave spirits manufacturers together with Don Julio and Casamigos – the latter of which it bought in 2017 in a massive US$1 billion deal.
The acquisition will give Diageo a brand new foothold within the burgeoning mezcal class, which grew in value from MXN$6.9bn pesos to MXN$8.2bn pesos (US$349.5 million to US$413.3m) in 2020, in line with the Consejo Regulador del Mezcal.
Mónica Michel, advertising and innovation director for Diageo in Mexico, mentioned: “Our story with Mezcal Unión started with a distribution partnership in 2016 and we at the moment are taking it to a brand new stage.
“We’re delighted to proceed working with its founders and welcome this model to our Reserve portfolio, which incorporates distinctive manufacturers throughout thrilling and fast-growing classes like Tequila and mezcal.”
Mezcal Unión’s founders will stay with the enterprise, and the model will preserve its current relationships with agave farmers and grasp distillers in Oaxaca after the acquisition.
Alejandro Gutierrez Champion, Mezcal Unión co-founder, commented: “We consider within the energy of transformation by means of collaboration. This method has supported each the expansion of the model and of native communities and agave farmers in Oaxaca.
“We’re proud to have delighted customers with a superb artisanal-craft mezcal and are assured that as a part of Diageo, one of many largest and most revered spirits corporations on the earth, Mezcal Unión will proceed to help growth of the class, open doorways to new markets and strengthen our model mission.”
The acquisition shall be funded by means of current money.