Famous Grouse sale to go ahead
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has approved William Grant & Sons’ acquisition of The Famous Grouse.
Edrington reached an agreement with William Grant to sell its blended whisky portfolio, comprising The Famous Grouse and Naked Malt, in September 2024.
The firm said exiting the blended Scotch category marked the next stage of its mission to be the world’s best at crafting exceptional ultra-premium spirit brands.
However, the sale was put in jeopardy when the CMA announced it was launching an investigation to decide whether the merger would result in unfair market dominance or hurt competition in a significant way.
Yesterday (6 March), the CMA decided to clear the acquisition. A full statement on the decision is yet to be published.
Søren Hagh, chief executive officer at William Grant & Sons, said: “This is an important moment for William Grant & Sons. The acquisition of The Famous Grouse, when completed, will further demonstrate our significant commitment to building category momentum in Scotch whisky in the UK and in our markets globally.”
The completion of the acquisition remains subject to customary regulatory approval in other countries. William Grant & Sons said it will work with the relevant authorities to proceed.
According to NIQ data, The Famous Grouse was the largest Scotch whisky brand in UK supermarkets, with sales of £173.7 million (US$216.1m) recorded in the 52 weeks to February 2024.
Edrington saw sales rise by 11% in its most recent full-year results, led by double-digit gains for The Macallan.
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