Diageo Takes Majority Stake in Seedlip, a Sign of the Times?

Dear Client:This morning, Diageo announced the acquisition of a "significant majority shareholding" of UK-based non-alc spirits brand Seedlip. Seedlip was launched in 2015 by founder Ben Branson. In June 2016, Diageo-backed spirits accelerator program Distill Ventures took a minority investment in the non-alc spirits brand. This acquisition marks the first non-alcoholic brand acquired by Diageo through Distill Ventures and the second brand overall. You may recall, Diageo fully acquired Belsazar GmbH last year [see WSD 03-15-2018]. "We want to change the way the