Jan 23, 2018
Bacardi buys tequila maker Patron in $5.1bn deal
Alcohol giant Bacardi has said it will buy tequila maker Patron, as demand grows for high-end versions of the spirit around the world. Bacardi says the deal values Patron at about $5.1bn. Best known for its rum, Bacardi took a minority stake in the tequila firm a decade ago and the two companies have worked closely together since then. According to recent data by research firm IWSR, the Patron deal makes Bacardi the top spirits maker in the so-called super-premium segment of the US market and the second largest spirits company in the market by value. A recent market report by the UK's Wine and Spirit Trade Association found annual tequila sales in the UK grew 5% in 2016 to $18.1m. Much like the recent boom in gin brands and gin cocktails, the WSTA said tequila was now being consumed in a completely different way. Last year, George Clooney's tequila company Casamigos was sold to drinks giant Diageo in a deal worth $1bn. Bacardi was founded in Cuba in 1862 with a focus on rum making.
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