Kreston Reeves advises The Drinks Company on sale to Stock Spirits Group

Kreston Reeves has advised West Sussex-based importer The Drinks Company on its sale to the expanding European drinks group Stock Spirits.

The Horsham-headquartered business, founded in 1996, is a specialist distributor of award-winning spirits and is best known for Sierra Tequila. It operates across the UK, Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands and the travel retail sector.

Kreston Reeves has worked with the Drinks Company since 2015 and supported the business and its shareholders through the sale process. The firm provided financial and tax due diligence and advised on a tax-efficient exit structure for the sellers.

The Kreston Reeves team was led by partner Sarah Ediss, with corporate tax manager James O’Leary advising on tax matters.

Ediss said: “Kreston Reeves has worked with the team at the Drinks Company for the past 10 years and have seen the business grow and flourish over that time. We are delighted to have worked with them on their successful exit to the Stock Spirits Group and wish them every success as their journey continues.”

Bill Oddy, managing director at the Drinks Company, added: “We are enormously grateful to the support and guidance provided by Kreston Reeves, in particular Sarah Ediss, around this sale. The advice and guidance have been critical to the success of the deal, and indeed to the business over the last decade.”