Davide Campari-Milano S.p.A. acquires Forty Creek Distillery Ltd.

Davide Campari-Milano S.p.A. (Campari) acquired Forty Creek Distillery Ltd., a leading independently owned spirits company in Canada, the producer of the award winning Forty Creek range of premium and fast growing Canadian whiskies. The purchase price for the transaction was $198.2 million. The acquired business includes the full portfolio of Forty Creek, including stocks, the distillery and manufacturing facilities and a Hospitality Center located in Grimsby, Ontario. The brand portfolio includes whisky, vodka, brandy, rum and liqueurs, with Forty Creek Whisky as its core brand. The transaction marks Campari’s first move into the growing and attractive Canadian whisky category with high-end premium products, further enhancing its premium portfolio and building its critical mass in key North American markets.

The Forty Creek acquisition was led by Sarah Petrik, General Counsel of Skyy Spirits, LLC (Campari America), with assistance from McMillan LLP and McDermott Will & Emery. The McMillan team included: Todd Miller, Carl Irvine and Andrew Stirling (tax); and Michael Friedman and Mickey Yaksich (transfer pricing). The McDermott team included Andrea Tempestini and Giuseppe Mazzarella (Milan office), and Barry Quirke and Genevieve Tokic (Chicago office).