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01/2023

DIPLOMÁTICO RUM acquired by BROWN-FORMAN CORPORATION

VENEZUELA Food Processing / Beverages / Wines & Spirits REV 1m USD - 1b USD

Context

Brown‑Forman Corporation has completed the acquisition of the Diplomático Rum brand and its associated corporate assets from Destillers United Group S.L.. The transaction structure transfers full brand ownership alongside a dedicated aging, bottling, and shipping production facility located in Panama. As part of the closing integration, the purchasing group integrates more than 100 employees into its global corporate workforce. Under the terms of the agreement, Destillers United Group S.L. will retain manufacturing operations, continuing to produce and age the rum line at its original distillery located at the foot of the Andes mountains. The transaction secures the buying group's entry into the fast-growing super-premium and ultra-premium rum categories, adding an established global market leader to its core spirits portfolio. The post-closing commercial strategy leverages a mature brand asset that maintains active distribution networks across more than 100 countries, with primary market penetration established throughout France, Germany, and the United States. The growth roadmap focuses on scaling international distribution channels to expand global market share, utilizing Brown-Forman’s corporate infrastructure to accelerate volume growth across the brand's three core product segments, which include its traditional, prestige, and limited-run distillery collections.

DIPLOMÁTICO RUM, which reported an EBITDA margin of in 2023, is valued in this transaction at an EV/EBITDA multiple of , a level to compare with the average currently observed in the AgriFood sector (11.0x).

-> Deep-dive in AgriFood market trends

Target

Diplomático Rum operates as a global producer and marketer of super-premium and ultra-premium rums. Manufactured in Venezuela at the foot of the Andes mountains, the company’s product framework is organized into three distinct product families: the Traditional Range, the Prestige Range, and the Distillery Collection. The brand's business model leverages localized climate conditions and fertile terrain optimized for sugarcane cultivation, pairing traditional distillation methods with modern production technologies to manufacture its aged spirit portfolio. The organization’s commercial architecture spans an international footprint with distribution active in more than 100 countries, maintaining primary market penetration across France, Germany, and the United States. Following its acquisition by Brown-Forman Corporation, the entity's operational model functions via a strategic division of labor: Destillers United Group S.L. manages the core manufacturing, aging, and distillation operations at the original Venezuelan facility, while Brown-Forman oversees the brand's global corporate infrastructure, international distribution scaling, and commercial network expansion.

Ent. Value

Equity Value

Multiples

EV / Revenue

EV / EBITDA

EV / EBIT

Historical Financials (USD)

Year
Rev
EBITDA
EBIT
2023
2022

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REFERENCES

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Authors: This transaction was contributed by a verified mynth contributor and cross-checked against available transaction documents and official company communications.

Press release: view release

Target: diplomático rum

Acquirer: brown-forman corporation