Diageo announces it has reached an agreement to acquire Mezcal Unión through the acquisition of Casa UM. Mezcal Unión was launched in 2011 by a group of Mexican entrepreneurs with the purpose of developing the category while generating positive social impact and preserving traditional production. Mezcal Unión’s founders will continue to be involved in the business to support the brand’s future success and growth.
Diageo has worked in partnership with Mezcal Unión since 2016, providing expertise and supporting growth of the brand’s distribution network in Mexico, the United States, and other countries. Over this period, Mezcal Unión’s growth has accelerated, and they have integrated numerous Mezcal producers and agave farmers into their sustainability and community support programs, focused on contributing to local development in Oaxaca.
“We believe in the power of transformation through collaboration,” said Mezcal Unión Co-founder Alejandro Gutierrez Champion. “This approach has supported both the growth of the brand and of local communities and agave farmers in Oaxaca. We are proud to have delighted consumers with an excellent artisanal-craft mezcal and are confident that as part of Diageo, one of the largest and most respected spirits companies in the world, Mezcal Unión will continue to support development of the category, open doors to new markets and strengthen our brand mission.”
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How is Mezcal Unión Made?
Watch this video to learn how Mezcal Unión is made by hand from the agave field to bottle in Mexico.
To continue promoting local development and ensure the sustainability credentials of its operations, Mezcal Unión will preserve its mission of supporting traditional and artisanal production processes while continuing existing relationships with agave farmers and its network of mezcal master distillers in Oaxaca.
“Our story with Mezcal Unión began with a distribution partnership in 2016 and we are now taking it to a new level,” said Mónica Michel, Marketing and Innovation Director for Diageo in Mexico.”We are delighted to continue working with its founders and welcome this brand to our Reserve portfolio, which includes exceptional brands across exciting and fast-growing categories like tequila and mezcal.”
Over the last two years, Mezcal Unión has become one of the leading Mezcal brands in bars and restaurants in Mexico1.
What did Mezcal Unión Sell For?
Financial details of the sale of Mezcal Unión to Diageo were not released. The acquisition will be funded through existing cash and is subject to regulatory clearances.
Mezcal Unión
1 Source: Mexico, ISCAM On Trade FM 2021
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