The North American company Brown-Forman Corporation announced this Thursday, October 6, that it had reached an agreement to buy the Ron Diplomático brand and the related assets of Destillers United Group SL in Spain. Once the transaction is complete, Brown-Forman, which has the well-known Finland vodka and Jack Daniels whiskey, will add this Venezuelan rum to its family of brands. It will also acquire a production plant located in Panama.
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The Ron Diplomático family of brands is the #1 super and ultra-premium rum and the #2 superpremium+ rum worldwide. Superpremium+ rum has grown at an annual rate of 17% over the past five years, with rum accounting for approximately 8% of spirits on the world market.
“Ron Diplomático will join our expanding portfolio, giving Brown-Forman a market-leading entry into the fast-growing super-premium rum category. This brand of aged rum has distinctive packaging, strong brand positioning and is a delicious tasting spirit,” said Lawson Whiting, President and CEO of Brown-Forman Corporation.
“As part of this acquisition, we will welcome more than 100 new employees to Brown-Forman,” he added, according to a press release from the North American company.
The transaction is expected to close within the next 90 days, while in the information given by the company, details of the amount of the operation were not offered.
For its part, the Destillers United SL Group stated that Ron Diplomático is ready to accelerate its growth with Brown-Forman, one of the best-known spirits and wine companies in the world. “We share a similar family culture and know the brand will continue to build on our legacy. We look forward to working together to bring Ron Diplomático to consumers around the world.”
Diplomático, a super premium rum from Venezuela, is sold in more than 100 countries. Major markets include France, Germany and the United States. In 2018, Diplomático received Wine Enthusiast’s “Liquor Brand of the Year” award, the first rum to win in this category.
Ron Diplomático consists of three ranges of complex rums. The Traditional Range includes Planas, Mantuano, Exclusive Reserve and Family Selection. The Prestige Range includes Single Vintage and Diplomático Ambassador, both aged 12 years and finished in Spanish sherry casks. The Distillery Collection includes a range of three limited production bottlings that showcase the distillery’s unique distillation methods.
