Date: March 3, 2016
Publication: MB.com.ph
Link: http://www.mb.com.ph/emperador-now-worlds-largest-brandy-company/#qM9yKZTPx1Vz777y.01

Grupo Emperador Spain S.A., the overseas subsidiary of the world’s top brandy firm Philippine-based Emperador, Inc., has completed the purchase of Bodegas Fundador from Beam Suntory.

In a special ceremony last March 2 in Jerez, known to be Spain’s brandy capital, Emperador was welcomed by the employees of Fundador and Spain’s local officials.

The formal turnover was attended by Emperador Chairman Dr. Andrew L. Tan, Jerez Mayor Carmen Sanchez, Philippine Ambassador to Spain Carlos Salinas, and other city officials of Jerez.

Grupo Emperador Spain S.A. managing director Jorge Domeq said the turnover of one of Spain’s most iconic, largest and oldest brandy production facility to Emperador, is a major milestone for the company.

“With the combined brandy production facilities of Emperador and Fundador, the world’s largest brandy company is born. We now have almost 1,500 hectares of vineyard land in Spain, around 1,000,000 sqm of cellar and bottling facilities, and four distilleries worldwide,” said Domecq.

Speaking during the ceremony, Tan said there is a huge opportunity for innovation and creativity in Spain’s brandy and sherry industry. “A new era begins not just for Fundador, but the whole brandy and sherry industry in Spain.
This is an era that will bring in more innovation and new ideas,” he said.

Tan said his goal is to create the world’s best brandy. “If the world’s best whiskies are aged in sherry casks in Jerez, then many of the brandy products now aged in sherry casks in Jerez should become the best brandy in the world. In Bodegas Fundador, we have a sizable inventory of brandy that has been aged for more than 50 years. Once they are bottled, they should become one of the most valuable brandies in the world,” he added.

The P13.8 billion acquisition includes Fundador Pedro Domecq, the Philippines’ largest selling premium imported brandy brand; Terry Centenario, Spain’s no. 1 selling brandy; Tres Cepas, Equatorial Guinea’s No. 1 brandy; and Harveys, United Kingdom’s No. 1 selling sherry wine.

“These brands carry a unique heritage and market leadership position in their respective categories,” said Emperador, citing that Fundador Brandy is the largest and oldest brandy in Spain and has been an icon of Spanish culture and heritage.

It has also been an iconic premium liquor brand in the Philippines for more than 150 years.

The acquired assets include Bodegas Fundador, known to be Spain’s largest and oldest brandy cellars established in 1730, as well as production facilities, ageing cellars, vineyards and state-of-the-art blending and bottling facilities, in Jerez, Spain.

Other assets also include a brandy distillery in Tomelloso, Spain, with sufficient ageing inventory of brandy and sherry, which Emperador officials believe will drive the company’s future growth.