Diageo acquires Tequila brand

Drinks giant Diageo has announced it has acquired the “Peligroso” super-premium Tequila brand.

The announcement comes just three weeks after it went into a joint venture with rap star Sean Combs on another Tequila brand, Deleón.

Larry Schwartz, president of Diageo North America, said: “Acquiring Peligroso is part of Diageo’s strategy of creating a collection of superb quality and distinctive tequilas at complimentary price points to appeal to a wide range of consumers.

“This will position Diageo strongly to capture the range of emerging consumer trends that will shape and drive the next few years of category value growth.”

Peligroso is intended as a complement to Diageo’s other Tequila brands, Don Julio (ultra-premium) and DeLeón (prestige).

With a range spanning silver, reposado and añejo as well as a cinnamon variant, Peligroso gives the UK company a foothold in the $20 to $40 sector which Nielsen has described as the fastest growing Tequila category in the US.

The super-premium category is grew 14% in value and 18% in volume in the year ending 4 January 2014.