Rum giant Bacardi close to $2 billion vodka deal

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The Wall Street Journal – 06/21/2004

Bacardi Ltd. is close to a deal to buy the Grey Goose high-end vodka business for more than $2 billion, says a person familiar with the situation, significantly broadening Bacardi's presence in the U.S. spirits business.

Grey Goose would give Bacardi a powerful player in the growing vodka market. The vodka currently sells roughly 1.8 million cases in the U.S. market, accounting for about half of superpremium vodka sales. It retails for nearly $30 in some parts of the country, well above the price of Absolut, a leading imported vodka.

Michel Dyens