Beam Suntory renamed as Suntory Global Spirits

Premium spirits group Beam Suntory has changed its name to Suntory Global Spirits as it becomes a US$5.5 billion powerhouse.

Ten years on from the 2014 purchase of Beam Inc. by Suntory Holdings, the spirits group has changed its name to Suntory Global Spirits.

The company said that the name change marked “10 years of sustained, profitable growth”, which has seen it expand from a US$2.5 billion company to a US$5.5 billion powerhouse. A new website and visual identity will follow the name change, focusing on the company’s pillars of “quality, craftsmanship and sustainability”, according to the firm.

Headquartered in New York City, Suntory Global Spirits is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan and currently has around 6,000 employees.

“Suntory Global Spirits demonstrates our global leadership and premium position in the market, while enabling us to build upon the strong and positive brand recognition that Suntory has worldwide,” said Greg Hughes, president & CEO of Suntory Global Spirits.

The rebrand is expected to help the company drive value as one global team and focus on key priorities including American whiskey, Japanese spirits, Scotch, Tequila and RTDs, while providing flexibility for growth in the future.

“The dedication that Suntory CEO Tak Niinami and Suntory Holdings have shown to advancing our culture and business growth – while also preserving the legacy of craftsmanship and interplay of traditions exemplified in brands from Jim Beam to Laphroaig and Maker’s Mark to Yamazaki – is extraordinary. Becoming Suntory Global Spirits is the natural next step in our evolution,” added Hughes.

Tak Niinami stated that now is “the right moment” to deepen a shared passion for “the innovation and artistry” of the group’s products and to “fully unlock our unified advantage across our leading spirits portfolio.”

“Since the acquisition of Beam Inc. in 2014, the company has gone through an incredible transformation to become an even stronger organisation, led by our shared
values of Yatte Minahare, Growing for Good and Giving Back to Society,” said Niinami. “We’re grateful to the entire global team under Greg’s leadership as we continue to inspire the brilliance of life in harmony with nature and grow the trust and love that people have for Suntory around the world.”

Among the company’s portfolio are a host of premium whiskey brands, including Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark, Japanese whiskies such as Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki, and leading Scotch brands including Laphroaig and Bowmore.

Suntory Global Spirits also produces Sipsmith gin, and considers itself  “a world leader” in the RTD space, with its brands such as -196 and On The Rocks.

Meanwhile, Campari Group has announced that it has completed its acquisition of Beam Holdings France.

It comes four months after the launch in January of separate subsidiary Beam Suntory France.

At the time of the launch, Anne Miller, general manager for Beam Suntory France said that the launch was an indication of Beam Suntory’s “long-term confidence in the French market”.

"Parigi è la capitale mondiale del lusso e la Francia è il principale mercato del whisky in Europa", ha spiegato. "Con il controllo diretto dei nostri marchi nel nostro mercato, saremo in grado di portare ancora più valore ai nostri clienti, di operare con maggiore agilità e con una conoscenza diretta del mercato e, in definitiva, di accelerare la crescita e costruire il potere del marchio in questo importante mercato."