Beam Suntory Brings ‘Spirit of Bold Ambition to Life’ With $3 Billion Partnership in Australia and New Zealand

The many Beam Suntory Oceania brands (Photo: Beam Suntory)

Beam Suntory and Frucor Suntory have announced a partnership worth $3 billion focusing on premium spirits and non-alcoholic beverages in Australia and New Zealand. The venture, dubbed Suntory Oceania, was announced Thursday via a news release from Beam Suntory.

Beam Suntory is known for myriad brands including Maker’s Mark, Hibiki Japanese Whisky and Jim Beam. Frucor Suntory is one of the leading beverage companies in Australia and New Zealand, specializing in energy drinks. The partnership is considered the largest fast-moving consumer goods investment in Australia in over a decade.

Preparations are already underway to ensure the partnership is operational in mid-2025 in Australia and 2026 in New Zealand.

“This collaboration demonstrates our belief in the growth potential of the Australian and New Zealand markets. When other businesses are pulling back, we are forging ahead, bringing Suntory’s spirit of bold ambition to life,” Managing Director of Beam Suntory Oceania Mark Hill said in the news release.

One of the first initiatives for Beam Suntory Oceania was a $400 million investment set toward the construction of a net zero facility in Queensland, Australia. The facility will be used for beverage processing, packaging warehousing and distribution. It is set to be functional by mid-2024.

“At Suntory, we are proud of our nearly 125-year-old focus on Growing for Good. The new site sets the industry standard in terms of investment into sustainable technologies to drive efficiency and minimize our carbon footprint. We are looking at a multi-pronged strategy through a CleanCo solar power purchase agreement, over 14km of solar panels on site, biomass boiler and state-of-the-art production equipment,” Frucor Suntory CEO Darren Fullerton said.

Suntory Oceania is set to hire nearly 400 people by mid-2025 as the partnership continues to develop.

“With Suntory Oceania, we are looking to the future with optimism and a wholly owned platform from which to build the long-term growth of our brands for years to come. It is the perfect opportunity for us to build upon the strength of Suntory as the global leader across the beverage sector.”

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