Last Updated:

2024-04-28 07:14:45

Diageo

British multinational alcoholic beverage company

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British multinational alcoholic beverage company

Diageo plc is headquartered in London, England, operating globally with 132 sites. It is a major distributor of Scotch whisky and owns distilleries producing 40% of all Scotch whisky. Diageo's leading brands include Guinness, Smirnoff, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Tanqueray, and Gordon's. It is listed on the London and New York Stock Exchanges.

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1627

Haig family's first record

The first record of the Haig family, the oldest family of Scotch whisky distillers, dates back to 1627.

1759

Establishment of Guinness Brewery

In 1759, Arthur Guinness established the Guinness Brewery in Dublin, Ireland. He created a unique black beer that became a huge success and was exported to Great Britain by 1769, eventually becoming a symbol of Ireland.

1820

John Walker opens grocery business

John Walker opens a grocery business in Kilmarnock, Scotland in 1820, where he starts blending whiskies with great success.

1830

Charles Tanqueray begins distilling

In 1830, Charles Tanqueray starts distilling in the Bloomsbury district of London.

1864

Pyotr Smirnoff opens distillery

Pyotr Smirnoff opens a distillery in Russia in 1864 and pioneers the use of a revolutionary charcoal filtering process for making vodka.

1877

Formation of Distillers Company Limited (DCL)

Distillers Company Limited (DCL) was formed in 1877 as a company composed of six-grain spirit producers in Scotland.

1884

Buchanan's Scotch whisky brand

Buchanan's is a Scotch whisky brand with a rich family history dating back to 1884.

1925

Acquisition of big blenders by DCL

In 1925, DCL acquired the big blenders in Scotland known as the big five: Haig, Buchanan, Dewar, Walker, and Mackie.

1934

Foundation of Grand Metropolitan PLC

Grand Metropolitan PLC was founded in 1934 as a hotel business, which later expanded into the food and beverage industry through various acquisitions. The company grew rapidly and eventually merged with Guinness to form Diageo in 1997.

1982

Conversion to Public Limited Company

In 1982, the company was converted to a public limited company under the name Arthur Guinness & Sons PLC.

1986

Guinness purchases DCL

Guinness purchased DCL in 1986, leading to the formation of United Distillers.

1987-01

Guinness Board Action Against Saunders

In January 1987, the Guinness board of directors asked for Saunders’s resignation and took legal action against him and another director, John Ward.

1987-09

Acquisition of Schenley Industries Inc.

In September 1987, Diageo acquired Schenley Industries Inc. for $555 million, gaining the US rights to Dewar's and Gordon's gin.

1995

Acquisition of Pet, Inc.

In 1995, GrandMet acquired Pet, Inc. for £1.8 billion, known for Old El Paso Mexican-food products and Progresso soups.

1997

Formation of Diageo

In 1997, Grand Metropolitan merged with Guinness to create Diageo, a company that later owned Burger King and faced allegations of neglecting the chain in favor of its liquor business.

1997-12-17

Diageo's shares begin trading on the London Stock Exchange

On December 17, 1997, Diageo's shares started trading on the London Stock Exchange. This event marked an important milestone for the newly formed company and its presence in the financial markets.

1998-03

Merger with GrandMet

In March 1998, Diageo plc was created through the merger of GrandMet and Guinness, with an agreement to sell certain brands to Bacardi Ltd. later that year.

1999

Introduction of Guinness Draught and Smirnoff Ice

In 1999, Diageo introduced Guinness Draught in a Bottle and launched Smirnoff Ice in several countries.

2000

Diageo's Decision to Divest Burger King

Diageo decided to focus solely on their beverage products and divest Burger King in 2000, leading to the sale of approximately 20 percent of BKC on the NYSE in 2001.

2001

Acquisition of Seagram's spirits and wine businesses

In 2001, Diageo acquired the collapsed Seagram's spirits and wine businesses, which included brands like Captain Morgan and Seagram's blended whiskey.

2002

Sale of Burger King by Diageo

In 2002, Diageo sold Burger King, which was acquired as part of the Grand Metropolitan PLC merger. The sale was part of Diageo's strategy to focus on its core beverage business and rid itself of underperforming assets.

2003-12

Controversy over Cardhu brand change by Diageo

In December 2003, Diageo provoked controversy over its decision to change its Cardhu brand Scotch whisky from a single malt to a blended malt whilst retaining the original name and bottle style. Diageo took this action due to insufficient reserves to meet demand in the Spanish market.

2005-02

Acquisition of Chalone Wine Group

In February 2005, Diageo acquired the Chalone Wine Group for £153 million, expanding its high-end wineries in California, Washington State, and France.

2005-06

Closure of Park Royal Brewery

In June 2005, Diageo closed its Park Royal brewery in London, shifting Guinness production for the UK market to the St James's Gate brewery in Dublin.

2007

Diageo partnership with Sean Combs for Cîroc vodka brand

In 2007, Diageo formed a partnership with rapper Sean Combs for an 'equal-share venture' to promote the Cîroc vodka brand. This collaboration eventually led to the joint purchase of the DeLeón Tequila brand in 2013.

2008

Launch of DRINKiQ

In 2008, Diageo introduces DRINKiQ to help consumers make informed choices about drinking, including the option not to drink.

2009-07

Closure of Diageo's Johnnie Walker Plant in Kilmarnock

In July 2009, Diageo announced the closure of the Johnnie Walker blending and bottling plant in Kilmarnock, Scotland, after almost 200 years. The decision led to 700 job losses and sparked protests from the local community and politicians.

2011-04

Boycott of Diageo-owned Alcoholic Drinks by National Puerto Rican Coalition

In April 2011, the National Puerto Rican Coalition planned to run ads urging a boycott of Diageo-owned drinks to protest the relocation of Captain Morgan rum production from Puerto Rico to the U.S. Virgin Islands for tax benefits.

2011-08

Diageo Settlement for Improper Payments

In August 2011, Diageo agreed to pay over US$16 million to settle U.S. civil regulatory charges for making improper payments to foreign officials. The British company was accused of violating the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act through its subsidiaries to gain sales and tax benefits for its whisky brands.

2012-05

Diageo's threat to withdraw funding from BrewDog

In May 2012, Scottish craft brewery BrewDog revealed that Diageo had threatened to withdraw funding from the British Institute of Innkeeping Scotland's annual awards if BrewDog was to be named winner of the Best Bar Operator award. Diageo was forced to issue an apology.

2012-06

£1 billion investment in Scotch whisky production

In June 2012, Diageo announced a significant £1 billion investment in Scotch whisky production over the next five years, including the construction of new distilleries and expansion of existing facilities.

2013

Full Acquisition of Sichuan Shuijingfang Company

In 2013, the business completed the full acquisition of the Chinese baijiu manufacturer Sichuan Shuijingfang Company in China.

2014

Full Ownership of Don Julio tequila

In 2014, Diageo obtained full ownership of the Don Julio tequila brand after a strategic agreement with Proximo Spirits.

2015-03

Diageo Advertising Campaign Controversy

In March 2015, Diageo released an advertising campaign featuring a young woman crying after a night out, suggesting the consequences of out of control drinking. The ad was criticized for implying victim-blaming in cases of sexual violence.

2015-12

US$10 million investment in Stauning whisky brand

In December 2015, Diageo announced a US$10 million investment in the Danish whisky brand Stauning to support its production expansion.

2016-03

Sale of Grand Marnier to Campari Group

In March 2016, Diageo sold Grand Marnier, a cognac and bitter orange-based liqueur, to the Italian beverage company Campari Group.

2016-11

Sale of The Monarch of the Glen painting

In November 2016, Diageo announced the auction of Sir Edwin Landseer's iconic painting, The Monarch of the Glen, which was on loan to the National Museum of Scotland. The painting was eventually sold to the National Galleries of Scotland.

2017-02

Plans to open Guinness brewery in Baltimore County

In February 2017, Diageo revealed plans to establish a Guinness brewery and tourist attraction in Baltimore County, Maryland, with the potential to attract up to 300,000 visitors annually.

2017-06

Acquisition of Casamigos tequila brand

In June 2017, Diageo acquired the US-based Casamigos tequila brand, which was launched in 2013, adding it to their portfolio.

2018

Investment in Scotch whisky tourism

In 2018, Diageo announced a £150 million investment in Scotch whisky tourism over three years, focusing on Johnnie Walker Experiences.

2019-08

Diageo acquires majority stake in Seedlip

In August 2019, Diageo bought the majority stake in Seedlip, a non-alcoholic spirits brand.

2020-01

Diageo Settlement for Pressuring Distributors

In January 2020, Diageo agreed to pay US$5 million to settle charges by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The allegations stated that the company had pressured distributors to purchase products beyond demand to meet performance targets.

2021-10

Diageo invests $500m in expanding manufacturing in Mexico for tequila category

In October 2021, Diageo announced plans to invest $500m to expand its manufacturing in Mexico for the tequila category. Construction of the new facilities in Jalisco, Mexico is expected to begin in 2021.

2022-07

Diageo invests in technology for growth opportunities

In the mid-2010s, UK-based distiller Diageo invested in proprietary technology tools to uncover growth opportunities and improve returns on marketing spending. The analysis revealed the US was a ripe market for premium tequila.

2022-09

Sale of Archers brand to De Kuyper Royal Distillers

In September 2022, Diageo sold the Archers brand to De Kuyper Royal Distillers, a strategic move in their brand portfolio.

2022-10

Diageo acquires Australian cold brew coffee liqueur brand, Mr Black

In October 2022, it was announced Diageo had acquired the Australian cold brew coffee liqueur brand, Mr Black.

2022-11

Acquisition of Balcones Distilling

In November 2022, Diageo announced the acquisition of Balcones Distilling, a whiskey distiller based in Texas, expanding their presence in the whiskey market.

2023-03

Debra Crew appointed as CEO of Diageo

In March 2023, it was announced that Debra Crew would succeed Sir Ivan Menezes as CEO of the company. Crew started her role a month ahead of plan after Menezes died on 7 June 2023.

2023-05

Diageo funds establishment of British Aluminium Consortium for Advance Alloys (BACALL)

In May 2023, it was announced that Diageo has provided funding to establish the British Aluminium Consortium for Advance Alloys (BACALL), a collective of industry experts who will create a circular economy in the UK.

2023-10

Sale of Windsor Global to PT W Co

In October 2023, Diageo sold Windsor Global, the owner of blended Scotch brand Windsor, to private equity firm PT W Co of South Korea, sponsored by Pine Tree Investment & Management Co.

2023-12

Speculation on Diageo exiting beer market

In December 2023, there were speculations in the media about Diageo potentially exiting the beer market, including the Guinness brand, which were later denied by the company.

2024

Termination of partnership with Sean Combs

In 2024, the partnership between Diageo and rapper Sean Combs was terminated after a legal dispute, resulting in Diageo becoming the sole owner of both the Cîroc vodka and DeLeón Tequila brands.

2030

Society 2030: Spirit of Progress

Society 2030: Spirit of Progress is Diageo's 10-year ESG action plan aimed at creating a more inclusive and sustainable world. It includes targets such as educating 10 million people on the dangers of underage drinking and achieving 50% representation of women in leadership roles.

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Diageo