Heaven Hill Brands, America’s largest independent, family-owned-and-operated distilled spirits supplier, acquired Samson & Surrey, including its portfolio of brands and facilities. The acquisition of Samson & Surrey further extends Heaven Hill’s portfolio with six high-growth, super-premium brands in several of the industry’s fastest growing categories.
“Throughout our 86-year history, our focus has been building a business with a portfolio of great brands sold through a great team,” said Max L. Shapira, president, Heaven Hill Brands. “The Samson & Surrey portfolio strategically enhances our portfolio with emerging brands in strong growth categories. Together with their team, Heaven Hill is poised to leverage the tremendous potential of these exciting brands.”
Under the leadership of Robert Furniss-Roe and Juan Rovira, Samson & Surrey has built a remarkable portfolio of highly differentiated premium brands growing at 60% per year, tracking $40m in Sales and present in over 30 markets worldwide. Included in the acquisition are Tequila Ocho, Widow Jane American Whiskey, Few Spirits, Brenne French Whisky, Bluecoat Gin, and Mezcal Vago. The company will continue to operate as an independent division of Heaven Hill lead by Robert and Juan.
“Over the last five years we have enjoyed unprecedented success thanks to the talents of our team, the truly remarkable award-winning liquids we make, and the engaging consumer stories we tell. The combined talent, scale, and resources of Heaven Hill now present a unique opportunity to provide a long-term home for Samson & Surrey and to further accelerate our growth,” said Robert Furniss-Roe, co-founder/CEO, of Samson & Surrey. “We believe strongly in the potential of our brands which are perfectly positioned to capitalize on the key spirits market trends. We could not be more delighted to join Heaven Hill and work together to continue building a strong portfolio in the premium and super-premium segments,” Juan Rovira, co-founder/COO of Samson & Surrey.
According to DISCUS Super Premium Tequila and Whiskey continue to enjoy growth rates more than 30% over the last five years as American consumers continue to adopt more premium products.
Perella Weinberg Partners LP acted as exclusive financial advisor to Heaven Hill with respect to the transaction. RBC Capital Markets, LLC acted as exclusive financial advisor to Samson & Surrey.