This Massive Chart Shows Which Companies Own America’s Top Spirits Brands
While the craft spirits sector is indisputably large, it’s undeniable that the U.S. spirits industry is dominated by a handful of conglomerates. And as independent brands grow larger and more popular with consumers, it’s not uncommon for large companies to swoop in with an acquisition.
To keep track of which companies own what, Matt Rice — founder of beverage alcohol industry strategy and analytics firm Thirsty Insights — compiled a chart identifying the best-selling spirits brands on the American market (those selling over 500,000 9L cases per year) and their parent companies. In order to narrow things down, Rice segmented only the top 10 major spirits companies: Sazerac, Diageo, Heaven Hill, Suntory, Bacardí, Pernod Ricard, Proximo, Brown-Forman, Gallo, and Tito’s. Other brands above the 500,000 case threshold not owned by these companies are in the section titled “Outside Top 10 Suppliers.”
Looking at the chart, it’s fairly easy to see who takes home the largest slice of the pie. The Sazerac portfolio is home to 17 brands that each sell over half a million cases annually, including Svedka Vodka, Fireball, and Buffalo Trace (which also produces labels like E.H. Taylor, Eagle Rare, and Benchmark). In that section you’ll also find BuzzBallz, a viral, high-ABV RTD brand acquired by the conglomerate in May 2024.
Diageo isn’t far behind, with 12 world-famous brand names under its umbrella across numerous spirits categories. There’s Ketel One and Smirnoff, Buchanan’s and Johnnie Walker, Don Julio, and, of course, Casamigos Tequila, which the conglomerate famously purchased from George Clooney, Rande Gerber, and Mike Meldman for $1 billion in 2017. Heaven Hill also claims a fair share of brands, including Deep Eddy, Elijah Craig, and Evan Williams.
While the vast majority of the brands on the chart are owned by massive parent companies, there is one notable exception in the top 10 suppliers: Tito’s. Established in 1997, Austin-based Tito’s Handmade Vodka is the best-selling vodka brand in the U.S. by far (the brand sold 12 million cases in 2024) and has remained independently owned since the beginning.
Digging into what’s essentially the “everyone else” category, this section is where you’ll find Campari-owned Aperol, Grand Marnier, Wild Turkey, Espolòn Tequila, and Skyy Vodka. Other big spirits names include the William Grant & Sons-owned Hendrick’s Gin and Milagro Tequila, as well as ABI’s Cutwater Spirits and Nütrl Vodka Seltzer, and Mark Anthony-owned White Claw.
This section of the chart is also home to a number of independently owned brands, demonstrating that while big brands loom large, craft spirits certainly have a spot at the table. There’s Surfside, a vodka-spiked lemonade and iced tea brand made by Philadelphia’s Stateside Brands, and The Finnish Long Drink, a gin-based RTD brand co-owned by its founders and a handful of celebrity investors. There’s also Carbliss and Mom Water, two RTD brands still independently owned by their founders.
Curious to see which major company — if any — owns your favorite spirits brand? Check out Thirsty Insight’s chart below to discover the largest spirits brands on the U.S. market and the parent companies that control them.
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