LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A decade after buying bourbon giant Beam Inc. for $16 billion, Japanese conglomerate Suntory Holdings is changing the name of its U.S.-based spirits subsidiary from Beam Suntory to Suntory Global Spirits.
As bourbon brands, Jim Beam and Maker's Mark aren't going anywhere. In fact, Suntory Holdings values those trademarks at $2.2 billion each on its books, according to the company's 2022 annual report.
The new name of the New York-based subsidiary that oversees those brands reflects "the company's evolution into a truly global leader across categories in spirits and Ready-To-Drink cocktails," Suntory Global Spirits said in a news release.
Suntory Global Spirits employs 6,000 people in 27 countries — including about 1,500 in Kentucky where Beam and Maker's Mark are produced, according to the company.
Its annual revenue has swelled from $2.5 billion annually at the time of the Beam acquisition to $5.5 billion today, the company said.
Suntory Global Spirits includes not only Beam and Maker's Mark, but Japanese whiskies such as Yamazaki and Hakushu, Scotch brands including Laphroaig and Bowmore, as well as tequilas and vodkas.
