Sazerac Agrees £500 Million Au Vodka Buyout as Founders Set to Pocket Over £100 Million Each
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 17
Sazerac Agrees £500 Million Au Vodka Buyout as Founders Set to Pocket Over £100 Million Each
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 17
Summary
Au Vodka is nearing a £500 million sale to Sazerac, which told BBC Wales it had agreed to buy the Welsh start-up behind the viral gold-bottle brand.
Sazerac, owner of Southern Comfort and BuzzBallz, said the acquisition would deepen its UK presence, while Swansea-based co-founders Charlie Morgan and Jackson Quinn are expected to make more than £100 million each.
Founded in 2015, Au Vodka grew through celebrity-backed marketing and a strong push into ready-to-drink cans, becoming second only to BuzzBallz in the UK after the pandemic boom.
The deal follows Au Vodka's 2025 expansion drive, including a new Swansea headquarters and a stated push into the US market, even as the brand faced an ASA ruling over a TikTok ad aimed at under-18s.