Spirits Giant Diageo Sells Stake in Popular Australian Whisky Brand Starward

(Photo: Starward Whisky)

Starward Whisky has returned to full founder ownership after David Vitale acquired all remaining shares in the Melbourne-based distillery, ending Diageo and other minority shareholder involvement in the business, Drinks International reported Tuesday.

Vitale, who founded Starward in 2007, had stepped back from leading the company before Diageo-backed Distill Ventures began supporting the brand in 2015. That partnership helped Starward expand production, grow its domestic footprint and enter export markets, including the U.S. and Europe.

“It’s been more than ten years since I last led Starward,” Vitale said, according to Drinks International. “With the considerable volume of work done in that time by a deeply dedicated team, this feels like a rare opportunity to scale what we know works, in a category that’s only just getting started. I feel incredibly lucky to be doing that with the best brand, the best people, and the best years still ahead of us.”

Diageo’s Distill Ventures accelerator program has backed Starward for nearly a decade, providing capital, operational support and access to international distribution networks. During that period, Starward became one of Australia’s most visible modern whisky producers, known for using locally sourced wine barrels and focusing on approachable flavor profiles.

The change in ownership places Starward among a growing group of founder-controlled whisky brands operating outside global spirits conglomerates. The company has not announced immediate changes to its product lineup, production scale or export strategy following the transaction.

Details of the financial terms were not disclosed. Drinks International first reported the ownership change.