Constellation Brands and El Silencio

US drinks firm Constellation Brands also moved into mezcal in April 2019 with a purchase of a minority stake in Mezcal El Silencio for an undisclosed sum.

It was acquired through the company’s venture capital group, Constellation Ventures, which makes investments in emerging brands that “provide strong scalability, consumer appeal and a point of differentiation in the market”.

Founded in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, in 2013, Mezcal El Silencio is made in Oaxaca, Mexico. Sales are focussed on the California market.

Fausto Zapata, CEO and co‐founder of the brand, told The Spirits Business last year that the investment “has fuelled growth via operations, marketing, and infrastructure”. The brand ramped up its availability in the US in 2018 with a tie‐up with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits.