Diageo taps into draught cocktails with Tipplesworth acquisition

Spirits giant Diageo is tapping into the growth of draught cocktails by acquiring Tipplesworth, a drinks company known for its kegged espresso martinis.

Tipplesworth was founded in 2013 by Frankie Snobel; who herself has a decade of experience working at cocktail bars and events worldwide.

The company’s Espresso Martini and Passion Fruit Martini cocktails are currently available on tap in around 100 bars, pubs and restaurants across GB, with the number set to increase significantly through the festive season.

The company already partners with Diageo to sell draught cocktails in the UK using proprietary technology, placing the spirits giant’s brands like Smirnoff front and centre on keg branding.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed, although Snobel will join the Diageo GB team.

Diageo said that 9 million consumers now drink cocktails across 42,000 outlets in Great Britain, according to data from CGA.

Snobel said Diageo “couldn’t be a better” fit as a parent company for Tipplesworth.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Diageo,” she said, “there couldn’t be a better place for us to continue growing the draft cocktail business to the next level.”

Melissa Wisdom, commercial director for Diageo’s on-trade business, said the rising popularity of draught cocktails in UK bars is “one of the trends driving spirits growth and this acquisition means we can now bring great quality ‘on tap’ cocktails to consumers in the on-trade across the country.”

Diageo has been trialling draught cocktails in the UK for close to a decade. It launched a dispense system for on-tap mojitos made with Smirnoff vodka in 500 pubs around the UK in 2011.