Diageo to purchase British spirits firm Chase Distillery

Diageo has agreed to acquire British gin and vodka maker, Chase Distillery, in an effort to capitalise on the premium spirits category.

Founded in 2008 by William Chase, the Chase Distillery portfolio is made up of seven gins, four vodkas and an elderflower liqueur. The company says its portfolio is distilled using British-grown potatoes, apples and all-natural botanicals on the Chase Farm in Herefordshire.

Chase Distillery is also focused on sustainability, with the steam energy used to run the distillery produced on site from a biomass boiler powered by prunings from the apple orchard, while its potato waste is used as fertiliser to feed the farm’s cattle.

“We are thrilled to be bringing such a quintessentially British portfolio of high quality, crafted brands into our family. We are excited about the growth opportunity within the premium plus segment and are very much looking forward to working with the Chase team to build on the portfolio’s considerable potential,” said Dayalan Nayager, managing director at Diageo Great Britain.

William Chase, founder and chairman of Chase Distillery, added: “It’s inspiring to have Diageo invest in Chase Distillery’s future. They believe in the potential of our field to bottle spirits and will build on our mission to develop our sustainable distillery in Herefordshire.”

The acquisition, which has been made for an undisclosed sum, is expected to close in early 2021 subject to regulatory clearances.

The deal comes after Diageo acquired premium brand Aviation gin and its owner Davos Brands for $610 million.