MEXICO – William Grant & Sons Global Brands (WG&S’s), a family-owned Scottish company, has acquired a tequila distillery in Mexico, which will support the growth of the company’s Milagro Tequila brand.
William Grant & Sons said that the new distillery gives it scope to innovate while protecting the long-term sustainability of the Milagro Tequila brand. Milagro has averaged double-digit annual growth in the US market since 2015.
“2020 has seen accelerated consumer interest in the premium tequila category, with Nielsen markets showing retail growth of over 30% over the last quarter alone, and with Milagro out-pacing the category with almost 50% retail growth,” Jonathan Yusen, William Grant & Sons president and managing director, Americas, said.
“Milagro has always been an exciting brand within our award-winning portfolio, and with this distillery it is now a clear long-term priority for our global business, alongside such iconic premium brands as Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch, Hendrick’s Gin and Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey.
“Milagro has always been an exciting brand within our award-winning portfolio, and with this distillery it is now a clear long-term priority for our global business.”
Jonathan Yusen, president and managing director, William Grant & Sons
“This acquisition allows us to manage our production more closely, ensuring the long-term quality and consistency of our Silver, Reposado and Añejo offerings, while bringing our innovation expertise to agave-based spirits.”
The company claims that this acquisition forms part of WG&S’s multi-million-pound investment plan to build its brands globally, stating that this acquisition will help to further capitalise on the brand’s success.
“We’re excited by this move to build a strong platform for further innovation that will help us take full advantage of global opportunities in the fast-growing premium tequila category. It demonstrates our commitment to investment in global growth despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.” Simon Hunt, William Grant & Sons chief executive, said.
“The acquisition of the tequila distillery in Mexico and our recent decision to set up our own dedicated distribution business in Germany are two examples of our investment decisions at a difficult time for our people, our trade partners, our loyal brand fans and our industry.”
Founded in 1998 by Danny Schneeweiss and Moy Guindi, Milagro Tequila is made with 100% blue agave from the Jalisco highlands and is distilled using both pot and column stills.
The Tequila undergoes a 36-hour slow roasting process in traditional brick ovens. The range consists of six expressions: silver, reposado and añejo bottlings across the Core collection and the Select Barrel Reserve lines.
Since 2015, Milagro has reported double-digit annual growth in the US, reaching more than 300,000 nine-litre cases yearly. William Grant said Milagro is the fifth largest premium Tequila brand in the US.
William Grant & Sons owns distilleries in New York and Ireland as well as around Scotland. It also operates a number of wholly-owned subsidiaries around the world in countries such as France, Australia, China, Colombia, Hong Kong, India, Korea and Taiwan, and in February announced plans to launch William Grant & Sons Deutschland for the German market.
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