Campari’s Howler Head Whiskey has been acquired by San Diego-based group Infinium Spirits, joining an expanding portfolio that includes Templeton Rye, Corralejo Tequila, Zaya Rum and Seagram’s Vodka.
Launched in 2021, Howler Head is a 40% ABV banana-flavored super-premium Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey. With UFC President Dana White as a co-founder, the brand has made a name for itself as the official flavored bourbon of the UFC.
The transaction comes at a pivotal moment for family-owned spirits company Infinium, said president Jan Tharp, as it has been growing its portfolio since 2005 and now has a footprint in over 75 countries.
“Howler Head embodies the innovative spirit that Infinium represents, and we’re eager to take this incredible brand to new heights, both in the United States and around the world,” Tharp said in a statement.
The acquisition is part of the trend of major spirits groups offloading non-core brands. Campari acquired a minority stake in Howler Head for $15 million from London-based Catalyst Spirits in August 2022, and later bought a minority stake in Catalyst Spirits. But as of the end of last year, Campari’s stake in the banana whiskey was “in the process of being unwound” as the group’s new leadership cut costs.
Howler Head launched initially in the U.S., and in its first full year of operations sold over 50,000 9-liter cases to the U.S. and Canada markets only. By the time Campari took a stake in the brand, the label had expanded its operations in the U.S. and Canada, and entered into international markets. At the time, Bob Kunze-Concewitz, former CEO of Campari Group said the brand was an ideal fit for the company’s portfolio, where bourbon whiskey was one of the group’s global priority pillars.
But last year, Campari indicated its intention to offload non-core brands as part of a larger cost reduction process. Other major spirits groups have done the same in the last few years, leading multinationals to trade major names or giving smaller groups the opportunity to score scaled brands.
Last summer, Pernod-Ricard offloaded its wine portfolio and Diageo sold two brands as the groups focus on their top-selling categories. Suntory also sold Courvoisier to Campari in 2023 to focus on tequila and American and Japanese whiskey, while Constellation Brands reached an agreement last year with spirits giant Sazerac to offload its Svedka Vodka brand.
Now, Infinium Spirits has a second whiskey in its portfolio and said it plans to harness “its expertise in brand building, sales, and distribution to further elevate Howler Head’s presence.” The company will invest in strategic marketing campaigns, expanded distribution channels, and “exciting new innovations.”
Flavored whiskey has made a comeback in recent years, evolving over the last decade from a handful of value-priced cinnamon or apple flavored bottles to a hot segment driven by innovative flavors from craft and emerging brands. Peanut butter-flavored Skrewball made a quick rise and was sold to Pernod Ricard in 2023.