Lawsuit against Beam Suntory is withdrawn

Sidney Frank Importing Company (SFIC) has withdrawn a lawsuit against Beam Suntory relating to a supply contact for Michael Collins whiskey.

Sidney Frank has now filed a stipulation of “dismissal with prejudice”, closing the matter

Sidney Frank sought to sue Beam for US$100 million, claiming the US multinational reneged on its Michael Collins whiskey supply contract.

The lawsuit alleged that Beam had “wrongfully terminated” a supply contract for the importer’s Irish whiskey brand with the Cooley Distillery.

Beam purchased the Cooley Distillery, for US$95m in 2011, and decided to cease some third party supply of its liquid once long-term contracts had come to an end.

Sidney Frank accused the company of “wrongful” contract termination, “tortious interference”, and creating “unfair competition” in the Irish whiskey market, but Beam claimed the allegations were “without merit”.

Beam attempted to block the lawsuit, but the bid was dismissed by a US federal court in February 2014.

However, Sidney Frank has now filed a stipulation of “dismissal with prejudice”, closing the matter.

A statement released by Beam Suntory yesterday read: “Beam Suntory today announced that Sidney Frank Importing Company has withdrawn its lawsuit against Beam Suntory related to a previous supply agreement for Irish whiskey.

“The case was pending in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York since March 2013.

“On Friday, June 26, Sidney Frank Importing Company filed a stipulation of dismissal with prejudice, and the matter is now closed with no payment being made by Beam Suntory.”