Berentzen Confirms Takeover Talks with US Spirits Giant Sazerac

M&A · PartnershipCorporate Action
โดย Just Drinks·DEUS·Read original
Summary · why it matters

German distiller Berentzen-Gruppe has confirmed it is in talks over a potential sale of the business to US spirits giant Sazerac. In a stock-exchange filing on 16 September, the Frankfurt-listed company said it was negotiating a "voluntary public takeover offer" for all its outstanding shares, and that it would keep the capital markets and the public informed in line with legal requirements. A spokesperson for Sazerac, which owns Buffalo Trace, Southern Comfort and Fireball, declined to comment on market speculation or specific acquisition opportunities. Based in Haselünne in north-west Germany, Berentzen owns brands including Puschkin vodka, Tres Países rum and its namesake fruit-based spirits, and also markets soft drinks. In 2025 the company booked a 10.4% fall in revenue to €162.9m, or $186.8m, while EBIT dropped 19.8% to €8.5m; in the first half of this year revenue fell 11.1% to €71m and EBIT slumped 82.4% to €0.6m, which CEO Oliver Schwegmann attributed to the end of a private-label Bourbon supply contract, ongoing weakness in the German market and soft consumer spending. The move marks the latest M&A target for Sazerac, which in August signed a deal to acquire UK spirits business Au Vodka, completed this week, after fellow US spirits group Brown-Forman rejected an unsolicited takeover proposal from Sazerac in July.

Impact on stocks 2

Consumer Staples▲ · 2 stocks
Berentzen Gruppe AG
BEZ
▲ PositiveCapitalrelevance

Berentzen confirmed it is in talks over a voluntary public takeover offer for all its shares from Sazerac.

Brown-Forman Corporation
BF-B
± MixedCompetitionrelevance

Mentioned only as context: Brown-Forman rejected an unsolicited takeover proposal from Sazerac in July, showing Sazerac's acquisitive streak.

Off-coverage companies 2

Sazerac CompanyPrivate▲ Positive
Capitalrelevance

Sazerac is negotiating a takeover of Berentzen, adding to its M&A targets after Au Vodka and the rejected Brown-Forman bid.

Au VodkaPrivate± Mixed
relevance

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