William Grant & Sons has reached an agreement to acquire The Famous Grouse from Edrington subsidiary The 1887 Company.
The deal, struck for an undisclosed sum and subject to regulatory clearance, also includes the Naked Malt brand.
If greenlit, it will see William Grant & Sons add to a scotch portfolio that already includes the Grant’s and Monkey Shoulder blends, as well as single malts Glenfiddich and The Balvenie.
“The Famous Grouse has a rich history and would be a significant addition to our portfolio,” said a spokeswoman for William Grant & Sons. “The brand has potential for innovation and international growth in a number of markets, and we’re excited about what the future holds.”
Edrington, meanwhile, said it would now exit blended scotch entirely to focus on its upmarket single malts like The Macallan, The Glenrothes and Highland Park, as well as other posh spirits such as Brugal rum and Wyoming whiskey.
The Famous Grouse was “a well-loved brand” that had “consistently performed in its category” under Edrington’s stewardship, CEO Scott McCroskie said.
The decision to sell the brand and exit blended scotch was driven by a desire to “focus on our core strengths and the growth opportunities in the ultra-premium spirits category”, McCroskie added.
Sales of The Famous Grouse grew just 0.2% last year, on volumes down 5.9% [NIQ 52 we 21 April 2024]. The brand remains the largest scotch whisky brand in the UK off-trade, however, with sales of £209.6m.
Of the spirits brands featured in The Grocer’s Britain’s Biggest Alcohol Brands report 2024, only Smirnoff, Gordon’s and Jack Daniel’s placed higher.
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