Lion Nathan has acquired the US wine importer Cumulus Wine Inc (CWI), a subsidiary of the NSW-based Cumulus Group.
The acquisition establishes a new wine import company, Lion Nathan USA Inc, which guarantees a platform for Lion Nathan’s Australian and New Zealand premium wine portfolio in the US market.
Brands set to be imported by the new company include Petaluma, St Hallett and Wither Hills, as well as Cumulus brands Rolling, Climbing and Phillip Shaw Wines, which come from the existing CWI portfolio.
Lion Nathan Wine Group Managing Director, Anthony Roberts, said the deal will enable Lion to tap into the CWI US sales team and create an Australasian-focused portfolio of premium and regional fine wines.
“Our strategic objective is to establish the best possible route to market for our win brands,” he said.
An agreement has been reached with current US distributor, Constellation Brands, for the Lion Nathan Australian and New Zealand wine portfolio to move to Lion Nathan USA this month.