USA: Mark Anthony Group to acquire The Finnish Long Drink

Mark Anthony Group, the Canadian-founded international drinks company, has reached an agreement to acquire The Finnish Long Drink for an undisclosed sum.

The Finnish Long Drink, a ready-to-drink (RTD) brand headquartered in the USA, reported sales of approximately 1.8 million nine-litre cases last year. Founded in 2018, the company produces spirit-based sparkling cocktails inspired by a traditional Finnish beverage created for the 1952 Helsinki Summer Olympics. Its product portfolio features a range of varieties including Traditional, Zero, Cranberry, Strong and Peach.

Mark Anthony Group, which already acts as the brand’s exclusive distributor in Canada, plans to use its distribution network to accelerate growth across North America. The acquisition marks a significant move into spirit-based RTDs for the group, following its previous divestment of several malt-based brands to Labatt Breweries in 2015.

Phil Rosse, CEO of Mark Anthony Group, commented: “Long Drink has already established strong momentum and a clear point of difference in the RTD space, and we see a meaningful opportunity to build on that success by expanding its reach and bringing it to more consumers”.

Source: Mark Anthony Group (via PR Newswire) / The Spirits Business / VinePair