From Brazil to Rothes
On 28 September 2000, Campari agreed to buy a Brazilian business from Diageo.3,7 Its brands included the Old Eight and Drury's whiskies.3,7 On 22 December 2005, Campari agreed to buy the Glen Grant, Old Smuggler and Braemar Scotch whiskies from Pernod Ricard, with The Glen Grant distillery in Rothes, Scotland.8 Pernod Ricard sold them as part of disposals agreed with the European Commission after it bought Allied Domecq.8
Into bourbon
Bob Kunze-Concewitz became chief executive in 2007 and went on to oversee 27 acquisitions.9,10 On 8 April 2009, Campari agreed to buy Wild Turkey from Pernod Ricard, its largest deal up to then.11 The deal included the Wild Turkey brands, American Honey liqueur and distillery facilities in Kentucky.11 Campari completed it on 29 May 2009, taking over the Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg.3,4,12
Canada and more Kentucky
On 12 March 2014, Campari agreed to buy Forty Creek Distillery in Grimsby, Ontario, and founder John Hall stayed on as whisky maker.3,5 Campari completed the purchase in June 2014.5,13 On 24 August 2022, it bought a 15% stake in Howler Head, a banana-flavoured bourbon, from Catalyst Spirits, with a route to full ownership.3,14,15 On 31 October 2022, Campari agreed to buy 70% of Wilderness Trail Distillery in Danville, Kentucky, which Shane Baker and Pat Heist founded in 2012.3,6,15 It completed that purchase by 7 December 2022 and planned to buy the remaining 30% in 2031.6,15
New leaders and a Scotch stake
On 12 September 2023, Campari said Kunze-Concewitz would retire after 16 years as chief executive.9,10 Matteo Fantacchiotti succeeded him in April 2024.10,16 On 17 September 2024, Campari completed buying a 14.6% minority stake in Capevin Holdings, owner of CVH Spirits.17,18 CVH Spirits makes the Bunnahabhain, Deanston, Tobermory and Ledaig single malts.17,18 Fantacchiotti resigned in September 2024, and Paolo Marchesini and Fabio Di Fede became interim co-chief executives.3,16,19 On 4 December 2024, the board chose Simon Hunt, who had led William Grant & Sons from 2016 to 2020, as chief executive.3,19 Hunt had led Catalyst Spirits, and Campari said its Howler Head stake was being unwound to focus on its main brands.3,19 He took office in January 2025.3,19