Dive Brief:
- In an attempt to ease competition concerns from the U.K.'s Office of Fair Trading, Diageo is offering to sell the majority of its Whyte and Mackay scotch whisky business.
- Diageo's 2012 acquisition of the brand from India's United Spirits increased its blended whisky market share to 40%, creating concern over reduced competition and higher prices.
- Diageo's sale of the business would include all but two malt distilleries.
Dive Insight:
Diageo, which is thelargest Scotch whisky distiller in the world, acquired Whyte and Mackay after paying £594m ($962m) for a 25% stake in United Spirits. The resulting merger created concern primarily because Whyte and Mackay was a primary competitor to Diageo's Bell's whisky.
