While the craft spirits sector is indisputably large, it’s undeniable that the U.S. spirits industry is dominated by a handful of conglomerates. And as independent brands grow larger and more popular with consumers, it’s not uncommon for large companies to swoop in with an acquisition.
To keep track of which companies own what, Matt Rice — founder of beverage alcohol industry strategy and analytics firm Thirsty Insights — compiled a chart identifying the best-selling spirits brands on the American market (those selling over 500,000 9L cases per year) and their parent companies. In order to narrow things down, Rice segmented only the top 10 major spirits companies: Sazerac, Diageo, Heaven Hill, Suntory, Bacardí, Pernod Ricard, Proximo, Brown-Forman, Gallo, and Tito’s. Other brands above the 500,000 case threshold not owned by these companies are in the section titled “Outside Top 10 Suppliers.”
