Brown-Forman buys Mexican tequila maker
The Deal.com – 08/29/2006
Liquor giant Brown-Forman Corp. ordered up a large serving of tequila on Monday, Aug. 28, announcing a deal for Grupo Industrial Herradura SA de CV for $876 million in cash.
The deal includes the Herradura and El Jimador tequila brands, New Mix tequila-based drinks, as well as the target's production plants and sales and distribution network in Mexico. Casa Herradura employs about 1,100 and reported sales in 2005 of $200 million.
Herradura received legal advice from a Jones Day team led by Eric Maki and Joseph Adams, with Fernando Morayta of Caraza y Morayta SC serving as Mexican counsel. Martin Sanchez, Hernan Rissola and James Douglas of Merrill Lynch & Co. were financial advisers to Herradura, and Juan Jaime Petersen Farah, Eduardo Fernandez Agraz and Michel Dyens & Co. LLC are advisers to Herradura's board. Andrew Brownstein of Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz and Carlos Creel of Creel, Garcia-Cuellar y Muggenburg are Brown-Forman's legal advisers, and Wilco Faessen of Lehman Brothers Inc. is financial adviser to the buyer.