Allied Domecq


Allied Domecq PLC was an international company, headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom, that operated spirits, wine, and quick service restaurant businesses. It was once a FTSE 100 Index constituent but has been acquired by Pernod Ricard. They had one distillery in India.

History

Allied Domecq was the result of a 1994 merger between Allied Lyons and Pedro Domecq S.A. Allied Lyons itself was the result of a 1978 merger between Allied Breweries and the food and catering group J. Lyons and Co.
In early 2005, a takeover bid for the company was launched by French-based rival Pernod Ricard S.A. Pernod Ricard successfully completed acquisition on 26 July 2005 and sold off the overlapping spirits brands to U.S.-based competitor Fortune Brands and British-based multinational Diageo. On 12 December 2005, Pernod Ricard announced that it had agreed to sell the restaurant businesses to a consortium of three US private equity firms for $2.43 billion. The closing of the sale occurred on 1 March 2006.

Portfolio at time of takeover

Allied Domecq's spirits division operated a combination of nine core global brands, plus a selection of local market leaders. Their product portfolio included:
Brands acquired by Fortune Brands: