LUXURY… Diageo, the world’s leading premium drinks business, and Sean Combs announced that they have furthered their relationship by creating a new joint venture that has purchased luxury tequila brand DeLeon.
Larry Schwartz President, North America Diageo plc. and Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Photo credits Diageo
The joint venture, a 50/50 global partnership between Diageo and Combs Wine & Spirits, builds on a strategic alliance formed by Diageo and Combs Enterprises to develop and grow the Ciroc ultra-premium vodka brand. Since the alliance began in 2007, Ciroc has grown from just 50,000 cases a year into a nearly 2 million case brand. The DeLeon joint venture will benefit from Diageo’s strong distribution network, supply chain, and marketing capability and Sean Combs’ access to influencers and proven track record of marketing luxury lifestyle brands.
DeLeon is a 100% blue weber agave boutique tequila brand with a loyal following in Hollywood and the U.S. music industry. The brand appeals to an important audience of status-conscious consumers who choose spirit brands as part of their luxury lifestyle. The acquisition of DeLeon will accelerate Diageo’s share of ultra-premium and above ($40+) tequila, which is the second-fastest growing tequila segment in the U.S., according to Nielsen.
DeLeon has five variants with current suggested retail prices that range from $120.00 to over $1,000.00 per bottle. The brand has been distributed in 18 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.
Diageo (Dee-AH-Gee-O) is the world’s leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, beer and wine. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Windsor, Buchanan’s and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Tanqueray, Guinness, Beaulieu Vineyardand Sterling Vineyards Wines.
Diageo is a global company, with its products sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at Diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com.
Combs Wine & Spirits is a privately owned, premium spirits and wine business founded and created by Sean “Diddy” Combs in 2013. The company, based in New York, NY, is now a partner with Diageo on DeLeon Tequila. Blue Flame, another of Sean’s enterprises, has collaborated with Diageo in marketing Ciroc ultra-premium vodka in the US since 2007.