Spirits conglomerate Pernod Ricard announced a new addition to its portfolio on Tuesday.
The company has acquired a majority stake in flavored whiskey brand Skrewball, according to a March 21 press release. As the first peanut butter flavored whiskey, Skrewball will join the likes of Jameson, Monkey 47, Martell, and Absolut under the Pernod Ricard spirits umbrella.
In the announcement, Pernod Ricard cites growing consumer interest in the flavored whiskey as motivation for the purchase. The company states that sub-category captures 25 percent of all whiskey sales worldwide.
“Skrewball has proven its uniqueness and success with a large audience, so we are delighted to have this brand as part of our portfolio” Ann Mukherjee, Pernod Ricard North America CEO, states in the release. “With a product that brings an iconic American flavor to the spirits world, Steven and Brittany have found a true point of difference in the category. We are looking forward to unlocking the magic of this brand and a successful journey ahead.”
Skrewball was founded in 2018 by Steven and Brittany Yeng, and has since distinguished itself as one of the most significant brands in the flavored whiskey category. In 2019, just one year after launch, the brand reported a 500 percent jump in sales and was named one of the fastest-growing companies by Forbes.
In June 2022, the brand launched a smaller, canned format of its core peanut butter whiskey. It joined a lineup of five other bottle sizes: 1-liter, 750-milliliter, 375-milliliter, 200-milliliter, and 50-milliliter. Skrewball has yet to expand beyond its core peanut butter expression.
The majority stake’s acquisition price was not disclosed by either company.
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