Allied Domecq

Fate	Acquired
Successor	Pernod Ricard
Founded	1994
Defunct	2005
Headquarters	Bristol, UK
Industry	Drinks

Allied Domecq PLC was an international company, headquartered in Bristol, UK that operated spirits, wine, and quick service restaurant businesses. It was once a FTSE 100 Index constituent but has been acquired by Pernod Ricard.

[edit] History

Allied Domecq was the result of a 1994 merger between Allied Lyons and Pedro Domecq.^[1] Allied Lyons itself was the result of a 1978 merger between Allied Breweries and the food and catering group J. Lyons and Co.^[1][2]

In early 2005, a takeover bid for the company was launched by French-based rival Pernod Ricard SA. Pernod Ricard successfully completed acquisition on 26 July 2005 and sold off the overlapping spirits brands to U.S.-based competitor Fortune Brands and British giant Diageo.^[3] On 12 December 2005, Pernod Ricard announced that it had agreed to sell the restaurant businesses (Dunkin' Brands) to a consortium of three US private equity firms (Thomas H. Lee Partners, the Carlyle Group and Bain Capital LLP) for $2.43 billion. The closing of the sale occurred on 1 March 2006.^[4]

[edit] Portfolio at time of takeover

Allied Domecq's spirits division operated a combination of nine core global brands, plus a selection of local market leaders. Their product portfolio included:

• Beefeater gin
• Ballantine's whisky
• Teachers Highland Cream whisky
• Laphroaig, a malt whisky from Islay
• Courvoisier cognac
• Canadian Club whisky
• Kahlúa coffee liqueur
• Malibu, a coconut-flavoured rum-based spirit
• Maker's Mark, a Kentucky bourbon whiskey
• Montana Wines, a large New Zealand wine producer.
• Mumm champagne
• Perrier-Jouët champagne
• Don Pedro Brandy
• Stolichnaya vodka
• Tia Maria liqueur
• Cockburn's Port
• Harvey's Bristol Cream sherry

Brands acquired by Fortune Brands:

• Sauza tequila
• Courvoisier cognac
• Canadian Club whisky
• Clos du Bois and other Sonoma and Napa wine brands
• Laphroaig malt whisky
• Maker's Mark bourbon
• Teacher’s Scotch whisky
• Cockburn port
• Harveys sherries
• Larios gin
• DYC whisky
• Fundador Spanish brandy
• Centenario Spanish brandy
• Kuemmerling German bitters

[edit] References