Beam Suntory is rebranding to Suntory Global Spirits, a move that both reflects back on the decade since the Japanese spirit giant acquired the maker of Jim Beam, as well as the company’s continued evolution into a global premium spirits and ready-to-drink competitor.
Suntory announced the rebrand today, which includes the launch of a new website and visual identity that celebrates “Suntory Global Spirits’ distinctive, unmatched focus on quality, craftsmanship and sustainability,” according to the press release. The new brand will still have “defining brand attributes” connected to those of its parent company, Suntory Holdings.
“Suntory Global Spirits demonstrates our global leadership and premium position in the market, while enabling us to build upon the strong and positive brand recognition that Suntory has worldwide,” said Greg Hughes, president and CEO of Suntory Global Spirits.
Suntory Holdings, a privately-held company founded in 1899 and known for producing Japan’s first whiskey, acquired Beam Inc. in 2014, boosting its portfolio with American whiskeys such as Maker’s Mark and Knob Creek bourbons. The company has since grown from a $2.5 billion-dollar company to a $5.5 billion-dollar global spirits portfolio with 6,000 employees around the world, and products sold in more than 70 countries.
In the decade since acquiring Beam Inc, the company has undergone a transformation aimed at becoming the “world’s most admired premium spirits company” including the move of the global headquarters to New York City, and a U.S. strategy centering its higher end spirits, building RTD leadership, and focus on value over volume. Last year, former Beam Suntory CEO Albert Baladi stepped down after a five-year run as CEO focused on premium brands, which have become the majority of the company’s sales.
The rebrand is expected to help the company “drive value as one global team” and focus on key priorities including American whiskey, Japanese spirits, scotch, tequila and RTDs, said the release.
In 2022, Beam Suntory’s premium brands grew 15%, and now represent more than half of the company’s full bottle spirits sales for the first time. In a rough year for spirits overall, the owner of Maker’s Mark and Jim Beam saw RTDs as the silver lining last year and will continue to bet on premium bottled and canned cocktails in 2024. It added to its flagship RTD, On The Rocks, with a minority stake in J.Lo’s DeLola last year.
“Now is the right moment to deepen our shared passion for the innovation and artistry that deliver incredible experiences through our products and fully unlock our unified advantage across our leading spirits portfolio,” said Tak Niinami, president and CEO of Suntory Holdings and executive chairman of the board of directors at Suntory Global Spirits.