US drinks giant completes purchase of viral Au Vodka brand for £300m

Au Vodka founders Charlie Morgan and Jackson Quinn will reportedly make £100m each from the sale of the business to Sazerac

US drinks giant Sazerac said it has "big plans" for Au Vodka after completing a takeover reported to value the Welsh business at about £300m.

The Swansea-based vodka brand, known for its gold packaging and viral social media campaigns, was founded by friends Charlie Morgan and Jackson Quinn in 2015.

With investment from DJ Charlie Sloth it enjoyed rapid growth before being formally acquired by one of the world's largest spirits companies.

Financial terms have not been disclosed, but the Reuters news agency reported the deal values Au Vodka at about £300m ($405m).

Sazerac chief executive Jake Wenz said Au had enjoyed a "phenomenal growth trajectory" since it was founded in Swansea.

"Au Vodka is a brand we've long admired," he said.

"What Charlie, Jackson, and Charlie have achieved in just over a decade is spectacular and rare, and we have big plans for Au as we welcome the brand into the Sazerac family."

He said that the deal would strengthen Sazerac's position in the UK while creating "a path for continued global growth" for the vodka maker.

Known for its distinctive bottles and cans, the company built a large following through social media marketing and celebrity collaborations.

It has grown into one of the UK's best-known premium vodka brands, and employs more than 80 people in south Wales.

Morgan said the founders had started the business with "nothing but an idea and a belief that vodka didn't have to be boring".

"We are proud to have built it into one of the most disruptive brands of this generation," he said.

"With Sazerac, Au can be offered to more people, in more markets, faster than we ever could alone."

The acquisition adds Au Vodka to Sazerac's portfolio of more than 500 brands, including BuzzBallz and Southern Comfort.

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