UK: Diageo acquires majority stake in Seedlip

Diageo, the UK based alcoholic drinks giant, has announced the acquisition of a significant majority shareholding in Seedlip, described as the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirit brand.

Launched in 2015 by Ben Branson “to solve the dilemma of ‘what to drink when you’re not drinking'”, Seedlip comes in the varieties Spice 94, Garden 108 and Grove 42.

Diageo first invested in Seedlip in 2016 as part of its Distill Ventures arm focused on start-up drink brands.  The acquisition of a majority stake makes Seedlip the first non-alcoholic drink brand acquired by Diageo.

Commenting on the move, John Kennedy, Diageo president in Europe, Turkey, and India said: “Seedlip is a game-changing brand in one of the most exciting categories in our industry. Ben is an outstanding entrepreneur and has created a brand that has truly raised the bar for the category. We’re thrilled to continue working with him to grow what we believe will be a global drinks giant of the future”.

Source: Diageo