PwC Corporate Finance advises Au Vodka founders on sale to Sazerac
The PwC UK Corporate Finance team is pleased to announce the completion of the sale of Au Vodka, the UK’s best-selling alcoholic ready-to-drink brand, to Sazerac Company, Inc., one of the world’s largest distilled spirits companies and the family-owned group behind a global portfolio of more than 500 brands.
Founded in Swansea, Wales, in 2015 by Charlie Morgan and Jackson Quinn, with entrepreneur, broadcaster and DJ Charlie Sloth joining as an investor. Au received an institutional growth investment from Metric Capital Partners LLP in 2023 and has grown from a local start-up into one of the UK’s most recognisable spirits brands. Known for its distinctive gold bottles, bold flavours and innovative RTD range, Au Vodka has built a highly engaged global audience and a strong presence across retail, hospitality and e-commerce. The company is headquartered in Swansea, employs more than 80 people, and its products are sold across the UK and a growing number of international markets.
Sazerac has grown into a global spirits business through a long-term approach to brand building, strategic acquisitions and sustained investment, while maintaining its entrepreneurial culture and focus on brands, consumers and execution. Its portfolio includes Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, BuzzBallz, Southern Comfort and SVEDKA Vodka, among many others.
The acquisition brings together one of the UK’s most distinctive and fastest-growing consumer drinks brands with Sazerac’s global scale, brand-building expertise, distribution capabilities and international reach. It also deepens Sazerac’s presence in the important UK market and provides a platform to accelerate Au Vodka’s continued international growth.
“It has been great to work with Tom and the PwC team. We built a good relationship, we could see they understood our priorities, put our interest first and we trusted their advice. It's been invaluable both on the initial deal with Metric and the sale to Sazerac.”
“Charlie and Jackson created a disruptive brand in a mature category through their iconic products, innovation in flavours and formats, building a global community and challenging traditional routes to market. It has been an honour to support the founders initially on the minority transaction with Metric Capital back in 2023 through to the sale to Sazerac Inc. I'm sure with Sazerac's global power the Au brand will continue on its pathway to being a global leader.”
PwC Corporate Finance acted as corporate finance adviser to the founders of Au Vodka, having previously advised them on the institutional growth investment from Metric Capital Partners. The PwC Corporate Finance team advising on the transaction comprised Tom Copeland, Phoebe Groves and Jamie Anwyl.
PwC UK also provided tax structuring support, led by Dan Packwood and Aimee Thomas, with supporting legal advice provided by John Clegg and Alex McGuckin.
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