La Martiniquaise-Bardinet buys stake in Spanish liqueur

French spirits firm La Martiniquaise-Bardinet has taken a 40% stake in Street Liquors, which makes Spanish liqueur brand Plata o Plomo.

Street Liquors launched its Plata o Plomo liqueur in 2019. The product is said to have a ‘strong presence’ in Northern Spain and is ‘expanding rapidly’ nationwide.

The company will enter a strategic partnership with Bardinet, La Martiniquaise-Bardinet’s Spanish subsidiary, under the agreement.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed and Bardinet will have the option to increase its investment in the company within three years.

To start, Bardinet will take on nationwide distribution of Plata o Plomo in Spain, while aligning the brand’s production and bottling under its industrial standards. Bardinet will also use its international network to accelerate the brand’s global expansion.

Plata o Plomo sits at 20% ABV and is made with tropical fruit juices and a touch of spice.

The full recipe is only known to the company’s founders, siblings Iñaki and Belate Beunza.

“Six years after launch, we reached a point where we needed a partner to help take the brand to the next level,” said Iñaki Beunza.

“We chose Bardinet because of its industrial expertise, commercial strength and proven ability to internationalise brands.”

The move is part of La Martiniquaise-Bardinet’s current strategy of partnering with high-potential founder-led brands, which saw it take a majority stake in English gin producer Warner’s Distillery and buy Venezuelan rum Cacique from Diageo last year.

CEO of Bardinet, Jean-Paul Bouyat, explained: “For Bardinet, Plata o Plomo perfectly represents the kind of entrepreneurial and authentic brand we are looking for.

“Our objective is to accelerate its development and transform it into an international reference in its category.”

Other spirits brands in the La Martiniquaise-Bardinet portfolio include Cutty Sark, Glen Moray, Bardinet Brandy and Label 5 whisky.