Heaven Hill Buys Owner of Widow Jane, Few Spirits

heaven hill buys samson surrey few spirits widow jane ocho tequila

Heaven Hill today disclosed its purchase of Samson & Surrey, obtaining the company’s full portfolio of brands and facilities.

This includes Widow Jane American Whiskey, Tequila Ocho, Few Spirits, Brenne French Whisky, Bluecoat Gin and Mezcal Vago.

“Throughout our 86-year history, our focus has been building a business with a portfolio of great brands sold through a great team,” says 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.”

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Under the leadership of Robert Furniss-Roe and Juan Rovira, Samson & Surrey has built a portfolio of brands growing at 60% per annum, the company says, tracking $40 million in sales and present in more than thirty markets worldwide.

Samson & Surrey will continue to operate as an independent division of Heaven Hill, led by Furniss-Roe and Rovira.

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“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,” says Furniss-Roe. “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.”

Adds Rovira, “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.”

The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

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.

This comes at a time of great investment by Heaven Hill, which recently expanded its Bardstown visitor center and production capabilities.

Portfolio premiumization remains a core element of Heaven Hill’s strategy, executed through acquisitions and new product development. In the last 20 years, Samson & Surrey represents Heaven Hill’s sixth significant acquisition, as part of an effort to diversify the company’s portfolio. These acquisitions included:

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