Mark Anthony Group to Expand RTD Presence With Finnish Long Acquisition
The Mark Anthony Group of Cos. is expanding its relationship with North American ready-to-drink brand The Finnish Long Drink, now set to acquire the company.
Mark Anthony had already supported Long Drink's expansion in Canada as its exclusive distributor. The acquisition expands the company's portfolio, which includes such brands as White Claw, Mike's Hard Lemonade and Cayman Jack.
Phil Rosse, CEO of The Mark Anthony Group, said the company became interested in Finnish Long Drink for its established strong momentum and clear point of differentiation in the RTD space.
"Our focus has always been on building and scaling brands that stand out in their category and resonate with consumers," he said in a statement.
The RTD brand was founded by Finnish entrepreneurs Mikael Taipale, Ere Manner and Sakari Manninen, alongside American Evan Burns. Its name harkens to the 1952 Summer Olympics, during which the government created the pre-mixed, gin- and grapefruit soda-based cocktail as a way to quickly and conveniently serve attendees.
"Long drinks have been around in Finland for generations," Taipale, its co-founder and CFO, said in a statement. "When we set out to launch The Finnish Long Drink, we wanted to create a brand rich with tradition for generations to come."
He said the partnership will allow The Mark Anthony Group to leverage a track record of scaling iconic RTD brands to accelerate its growth and introduce Long Drink to broader audiences.
