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Uncle Nearest acquires Square One Organic Spirits

22 May 2024 By Louis Thomas

Uncle Nearest, best known for its premium whiskey, has signed a deal to acquire farm-to-glass brand Square One Organic Spirits.

“In 2020, I expressed our vision for Uncle Nearest to not just be a brand, but to become the first spirits conglomerate in America founded by a woman or person of colour,” said Uncle Nearest founder and CEO Fawn Weaver. “Many saw this as wishful thinking since we were only three years into our journey at the time.”

However, Weaver is delivering on that vision, having acquired historic Cognac estate Domaine Saint Martin last October, with plans to launch a Cognac brand this year.

Now, the company is expanding further, acquiring Square One Spirits. Founded in 2004 by Allison Evanow, who also serves as CEO, Square One Spirits claims to be the first company dedicated to producing exclusively USDA-certified organic spirits. Its lifetime sales are in excess of US$22 million.

“While we have really loved being an independent brand so that we could focus on quality organic ingredients and unique flavour profiles, the intense demands of handling nearly all sales personally underscored the need for stronger backing,” explained Evanow, who suggested that Uncle Nearest would preserve the brand’s “independent spirit and world class quality” while bringing “the robust sales and distribution capabilities we need to reach our full potential”.

“By entering the vodka market, we’re not just expanding our portfolio, we’re responding to a consumer call for transparent, culturally connected brands,” added Weaver.

The value of the deal has not been disclosed.

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