Lark Distilling Valuation Multiples

LVMH is a global producer and distributor of luxury goods. It operates six segments: fashion and leather goods, its largest and most profitable; watches and jewelry; wines and spirits; perfumes and cosmetics; selective retailing (including Sephora and airport duty-free retailer DFS); and other. Higher-profile brands include Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Fendi, Givenchy, Tag Heuer, Hennessy, Moet & Chandon, Glenmorangie, Sephora, and Benefit. LVMH operates more than 5,000 stores around the globe.

Kweichow Moutai is one of China's leading liquor producers. The company was established in 1951 and its headquarters are located in Moutai Town, Guizhou province, southwest China. Its flagship product, 53-degree Feitian Moutai, is known as China's national drink and has been consumed during many high-profile historical and political events. Given its remarkable pricing power, premium product quality, and unparalleled brand strength, the company achieves the industry's highest retail prices and profit margins. The state-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of Guizhou province through Moutai Group controls a 49% stake in Kweichow Moutai.

Anheuser-Busch InBev is the largest brewer in the world and one of the world's top five consumer product companies, as measured by EBITDA. The company's portfolio contains six of the top 10 beer brands by volume, according to Euromonitor, and we estimate it distributes 23 brands with retail sales over $1 billion. AB InBev was created by the 2008 merger of Belgium-based InBev and US-based Anheuser-Busch. The firm holds a 62% economic interest in Ambev, an 87% stake in Budweiser APAC, and in 2016 it acquired SABMiller.

Ambev is the largest brewer in Latin America and the Caribbean and is Anheuser-Busch InBev's subsidiary in the region. It produces, distributes, and sells beer and PepsiCo products in Brazil and other Latin American countries and owns Argentina's largest brewer, Quinsa. Ambev was formed in 1999 through the merger of Brazil's two largest beverage companies, Brahma and Antarctica. In 2004, Ambev combined with Canadian brewer Labatt, giving AB InBev a controlling interest of 62%.

Wuliangye Yibin is China's second-largest baijiu producer by revenue, with sales of CNY 89 billion in 2024 compared with CNY 171 billion for Moutai. Founded in the 1950s, Wuliangye is located in Yibin, Sichuan province, in southwest China. Its core product, 52-degree Wuliangye, is widely known as the best rice-flavored baijiu in the market. The high-quality products, extensive history and brand strength have led to strong pricing power, allowing the company to enjoy high retail prices and profit margins.

Formed in 1997 through the merger of Grand Metropolitan and Guinness, Diageo is the largest distiller globally by sales. Diageo acquired some of the Seagram assets in 2001, which gave it brands such as Captain Morgan rum and Crown Royal Canadian whisky. Since then, mergers and acquisitions have mostly been bolt-on in nature, plugging gaps in the company’s product and geographic portfolio.

Heineken is the world’s second-largest brewer behind Anheuser-Busch InBev. It has the leading position in many European markets, including the Netherlands, Austria, Greece, and Italy. Its flagship brand, Heineken, is the world's leading international premium lager by volume and has spawned several brand extensions including Heineken 0.0 and Heineken Silver. Heineken is the world's biggest cider producer. Its portfolio also includes brands in the nonalcoholic, Belgian, and craft beer categories.

Union de Cervecerias Peruanas Backus & Johnston SA is engaged in the business of production, packaging, sale, distribution, and all other types of business related to malted and malt beverages, non-alcoholic beverages, and carbonated waters. The company's main business also includes investment in securities of domestic and foreign companies; the exploitation of rural properties; the sale, processing, conservation, marketing, and export of agricultural products; and the provision of advisory services related to these products.

Constellation Brands is the largest provider of alcoholic beverages across the beer, wine, and spirits categories in the US, generating 84% of revenue from Mexican beer imports under top-selling brands such as Modelo and Corona. The rest of the business includes some remaining wine and spirits brands, categories where the company has pruned assets in recent years. With its exclusive rights tied to the Mexican beer brands, effective only in the US, the firm has limited revenue exposure to international markets. Constellation owns a 10% stake in Canopy Growth, a medicinal and recreational cannabis producer in Canada, and has a 50/50 joint venture with glass manufacturer Owens-Illinois in Mexico.

Shanxi Fen Wine, or Fen Wine, is a typical light-flavored baijiu, featuring a fresher, lighter, and purer-taste compared with jiang-flavored and rich-flavored spirits. The company offers a comprehensive product portfolio, covering sub-premium, mid- to high range, and low-end products. The mid- to high-end baijiu contributed about 74% of the company’s sales revenue in 2024, including sub-premium brand Qinghua, midrange products Panama and Laobaifen. The State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of Shanxi province controls 51% of Fen Wine.

Heineken Holding NV, through its subsidiary, is involved in the brewing and selling of beer and cider. It does not engage in operational activities and generates income almost exclusively by receiving Heineken dividends. The company has five reportable segments: Europe, Americas, Africa & Middle East, Asia Pacific and Heineken N.V. Head Office & Other/Eliminations. The majority of the revenue is generated from the Europe segment.

Luzhou Laojiao, or Laojiao, is one of China’s leading premium baijiu producers. Its primary product, National Cellar 1573, is widely known as one of the best rich-flavored baijiu in the market, which together with Feitian Moutai and flagship Wuliangye are the top three premium products that dominate over 90% of the premium baijiu market in China. The high-quality products, extensive history, and brand strength have led to strong pricing power, allowing the company to enjoy high retail prices and profit margins. The State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of Luzhou City controls 46% of Luzhou Laojiao.

Pernod Ricard was formed in 1975 through the merger of Pernod, founded in 1805, and Ricard, created in 1932. Through acquisitions, the firm has grown to become the world’s second-largest distiller by volume, behind Diageo. Pernod Ricard possesses the most comprehensive spirits portfolio globally, distributing over 240 brands across 160 countries. Flagship spirits brands include Absolut vodka, Beefeater gin, Chivas Regal and The Glenlivet scotch whisky, Jameson Irish whiskey, Malibu rum, and Martell cognac. The firm has also shed noncore assets over the years, including several wine brands in 2025.

Carlsberg is the third-largest brewer in the world after Anheuser-Busch InBev and Heineken. It holds leading share in Scandinavia, western China, and several other markets in Asia. Its key brands include Carlsberg, 1664, Tuborg, Holsten, and Somersby. The company's 2025 beverage volume was split among Western Europe (42%), Eastern Europe and India (28%), and Asia (30%).

Eastroc Beverage (Group) Co Ltd is engaged in research and development, production, and sales of beverages. The company offers beverages across three categories: energy drinks, non-energy drinks, and bottled water. Its brands include Eastroc Super Drink, Citrus Lemon Tea, Tangerine Peel Super Drink, and packaged water products.

Asahi is the largest brewer in Japan with a nearly 40% market share, led by its Asahi Super Dry beer brand. It also operates a wide range of alcoholic and soft beverage products as well as packaged foods, mainly in Japan. Overseas markets accounted for over half of the company's revenue and close to 60% of operating profit, with Australia and Europe being two major markets. It acquired SABMiller's brands including Peroni and Pilsner Urquell in Western and Central Europe in 2016 and 2017 from Anheuser-Busch InBev. In Australia, Asahi holds market leaderships across beer and soft drinks segments, through its acquisitions of Schweppes Australia in 2009 and Carlton & United Breweries in 2020.

Kirin is the second-largest brewer in Japan with a 28% market share. It holds a top share in the happoshu (low-malt beer) and new genre (no-malt beer) categories. Apart from beer, it also operates a wide range of alcoholic and soft beverage products in Japan. It has made several acquisitions, including Lion Nathan and National Foods in Australia, the second-largest Brazilian brewer Schincariol and Myanmar’s biggest brewer over the past decade. It sold the businesses in Brazil and Myanmar in 2017 and 2023, respectively. In 2023, the company made a tender offer to bring Fancl on as a wholly owned subsidiary. Its revenue accounts for roughly 5% of Kirin’s total sales. Its overseas business, which includes alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, represents about 40% of the group’s revenue.

Brown-Forman is a US-based manufacturer of premium distilled spirits that generates 71% of revenue in the whiskey category, under well-known Tennessee whiskey brand Jack Daniel’s and bourbon brands Woodford Reserve and Old Forester. It also manufactures and distributes tequila, vodka, rum, gin, and premium wines. The company generates 45% of sales from its home market, while the bulk of international revenue comes from Europe, Australia, and Latin America. The Brown family controls over 50% of the economic interests and a 67% voting power of the company.

Budweiser APAC is the largest brewer in Asia by retail sales value and the second largest by volume, according to Euromonitor. After 10% of the business was listed on the Hong Kong exchange in 2019, parent Anheuser-Busch InBev owns close to 90% of the company's equity. Budweiser APAC's largest markets are China (roughly 75% of 2024 revenue), South Korea (20%), and India. The remaining comprises Japan, New Zealand, and other export markets in the Asia-Pacific region. The company predominantly produces, imports, markets, distributes, and sells a portfolio of more than 50 beer brands, both owned and licensed, including global brands Budweiser, Stella Artois, and Corona along with multicountry brands and local brands such as Hoegaarden, Cass, and Harbin.

With over 100 years of history, Tsingtao Brewery has become one of the leading brewers in China with its namesake Tsingtao brand. The company commands a dominant position in its core market, Shandong province, which contributed close to 60% of its revenue and net profit in 2024. Unlike other major brewers, Tsingtao Brewery’s brand umbrellas consist entirely of domestic brands. The Tsingtao brand has a mid-range to high-end market positioning and contributed over half of its volume whereas the mass market Laoshan brand targets the mainstream segment, with a declining volume mix as the company sought to premiumize its portfolio.

China Resources Beer, or CR Beer, was originally a conglomerate enterprise with operations across retail, beer, food, and beverage industries. In September 2015, the company disposed of all its non-beer businesses and became a pure beer producer. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions, the company achieved its leadership position in China’s beer industry. Amid the premiumization trend in the domestic beer market, CR Beer acquired Heineken China in 2019, which allows CR Beer access to a premium international beer brand and also leverages its sophisticated distribution network to grow Heineken’s sales and market share. CR Beer is now China’s largest brewer, with a volume share of about 26%, versus 15% of Tsingtao and 19% of Budweiser APAC, based on Euromonitor data.

United Spirits Ltd manufactures and sells spirits, beer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages. The company is engaged in the business of manufacture, purchase, and sale of beverage alcohol and other allied spirits, including through tie-up manufacturing units and strategic franchising of some of its brands. Its brand portfolio consists of McDowell's No.1, Royal Challenge, Black Dog, Signature, Antiquity, Director's Special Black, McDowell's Rum, McDowell's Brandy, Bagpiper, Old Tavern, and Haywards among others. Geographically, the firm generates a majority of its revenue from India. The company's segment includes: Beverage alcohol; and Sports. It derives maximum revenue from Beverage alcohol that manufacture, purchase, franchise and sale of beverage alcohol and other allied spirits.

Jiangsu Yanghe Brewery, founded in 2002, manufactures and markets baijiu (a distilled Chinese liquor) under the Yanghe, Shuanggou, and Sujiu brands. Yanghe's key products include the Blue Classic series, which accounted for about 80% of total sales, such as premium Dream Blue, mid- to high-end Sky Blue, and mass-market Ocean Blue. The company achieved revenue of CNY 29 billion in 2024, with more than half of sales from the non-Jiangsu market, leveraging its more than 8,800 distributors across China.

Thai Beverage PLC is a Thailand-based company engaged in producing and distributing alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and food. The company's operating segments include Spirits; production and sales of branded spirits products and soda. Beer: production and sales of raw materials, branded beer products, Chang soda and Chang water. Non-alcoholic beverages: production and sales of branded water, ready-to-drink coffee, energy drink, green tea, fruit flavored drinks and dairy products. Food: restaurants and distribution of food and beverages; and Others: publishing and printing. Key revenue is generated from Beer. It operates in Thailand, which generates the majority of revenue, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore and others.

Molson Coors Canada Inc is a large brewer and distributor of beer and other malt beverages. Its brands include Coors Light, Miller Lite, Molson Canadian, Carling, Staropramen, Coors Banquet, Blue Moon, Vizzy, Leinenkugel, and Creemore. Its two segments are the Americas and EMEA&APAC segments. Americas segment operates in the U.S., Canada and various countries in the Caribbean, Latin and South America and the EMEA&APAC segment operates in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Montenegro, the Republic of Ireland, Romania, Serbia, the U.K., various other European countries, and certain countries within the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Its breweries are located across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, with the majority of the company's revenue generated in the Americas.

Molson Coors owns well-known beer brands including Miller, Coors, Blue Moon, and Carling, and ranks as the second-largest beer maker in both value and volume in the US, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Through licensing agreements, it also brews and distributes beer and nonbeer beverage categories under partner brands from Heineken, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Asahi, Fever-Tree, and Coca-Cola. North America remains its largest market, accounting for nearly 80% of total revenue.

Davide Campari-Milano is the Italian-headquartered parent of Campari Group and is the world’s leading manufacturer of bitters, with a volume share of 24% in 2024, according to Euromonitor. The company’s liqueur portfolio includes Aperol, Campari, and Grand Marnier. The remainder of the portfolio spans a wide range of categories, including global brands Skyy vodka and Wild Turkey bourbon and niche brands such as Appleton Estate rum, Bulldog gin, and Espolòn tequila. Campari also produces and markets a range of Champagne and sparkling wines. Campari is controlled by Lagfin, a Luxembourg-based holding company, which holds 52% of the share capital and over 60% of the voting rights. The rest of the equity is free floating.

Anhui Gujing is one of the eight most famous baijiu brands in China and the largest baijiu distiller in Anhui province by sales in 2024. The company produces rich-flavored baijiu, with a colorful brand story tracing back 1,800 years to the Three Kingdoms period. Gujing is one of the leading players in the midrange to high-end market and enjoys high retail prices and profit margins, with its flagship Gujing Year Puree series contributing 77% of total sales in 2024. The State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of Bozhou controls 28% of Gujing.

Beijing Yanjing Brewery Co Ltd is a China-based firm engaged in the brewing, sale, and distribution of beer. The company also makes soft drinks such as mineral water. Its product portfolio includes Yanjing puree white beer, Pure health beer series, and fresh beer series.

Jiangsu King's Luck Brewery Joint-Stock Co Ltd is a China-based company engaged in the manufacturing and distribution of liquor. The company markets its products under the Guoyuan, Jinshiyuan, and Gaogou brands. It also offers pre-packaged food. The company conducts its business mainly within Jiangsu province.

Radico Khaitan Ltd is an India-based liquor manufacturing company. Its products include whiskey, vodka, rum, brandy, and gin. The company's brand portfolio includes After Dark Whisky, Contessa Rum, Magic Moments Vodka, Morpheus Brandy, Old Admiral Brandy, and 8 PM Whisky among others. It has three distilleries in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, and one in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. It produces extra neutral alcohol from molasses, as well as grain. It produces malt spirit and aged grain spirit, as well as matured malt spirit. The company operates in a single segment which is manufacturing and trading in Liquor & Alcohol. Geographically, it derives maximum revenue from India and the rest from overseas markets.

Anhui Yingjia, or Yingjia, is the second-largest baijiu distiller in Anhui province by sales revenue in 2024. The company produces rich-flavored baijiu, and it is one of the well-known brands in the mainstream market in Anhui and its surrounding provinces. Its flagship product, the Dongcang Yearly series, contributed about 50% of company sales in 2024. Yingjia is 72% held by Anhui Yingjia Group, following a management buyout in 1997, so ownership comprises mainly Yingjia’s management and core employees.

Sapporo Holdings Ltd is a Japan-based company engaged in producing and supplying alcoholic drinks as well as food products and related services. The company operates through three main segments: Alcoholic Beverages, Food and Beverages, and Real Estate. The Alcoholic Beverages segment handles production and sales of alcoholic drinks along with restaurant operations. The Food and Beverages segment covers the manufacturing and distribution of food items and bottled water. The Real Estate segment is engaged in property leasing activities. It generates the majority of its revenue from the Alcoholic Beverages segment.

An investment in wide-moat-rated Endeavour Group provides investors with exposure to one of the most well entrenched dividend-paying businesses in the Australian retail landscape. Following decades of enduring organic growth through store rollouts, Endeavour's off-premises retail segment—with more than 1,700 retail outlets mainly across its Dan Murphy's and BWS brands—accounts for approximately half of all off-premises retail liquor sales within Australia. Endeavour's immense scale in the off-premises retail segment is unrivalled within Australia. Indeed, Endeavour's sales are almost three times larger than its nearest retail competitor, Coles.

Emperador Inc manufactures, sells, and distributes spirits and other alcoholic beverages through two main business segments: brandy and Scotch whiskey. The brandy segment, which accounts for more than half of the company's total revenue focuses on sales in the Philippines and Spain. This segment also has a distribution network for its operations, which includes sales offices and distribution outlets throughout the Philippines. The Scotch whiskey business sells in the United Kingdom. Brands that Emperador owns or licenses include The Dalmore, Fundador, Jura, Emperador, Andy Player, Whyte and Mackay, Smirnoff, and BaR. The company produces in the Philippines and Europe.

Established in 1958 in Chongqing city, Chongqing Brewery is one of the major beer brewers in China with a strong presence in the west. The company distributes a beer portfolio consisting of international brands, such as Carlsberg, Tuborg, 1664, and domestic brands such as Chongqing. In 2013, the company became a subsidiary of Carlsberg Group after the latter acquired a 60% stake in the company. It became the sole operating platform of Carlsberg Group’s China business in 2020, after the group injected all its China beer assets into Chongqing Brewery.

United Breweries Ltd brews and sells beer and flavored malt beverages in India. The company has dozens of production facilities in India, and it licenses its brands to be manufactured in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. The company's flagship brand is Kingfisher, which is prominent in India and is sold in dozens of countries around the world. It has two segments Beer and Non-alcoholic beverages. It derives the majority of its revenue from the Beer segment. The company's other brands include Bullet, Cannon 10000, Kalyani, UB Export, Zingaro, London Pilsner, and Heineken among others. Geographically, it derives key revenue from its business in India and the rest from other regions.

Zhenjiu Lidu is one of the leading non-state-owned baijiu distillers in China. It operates a portfolio of baijiu brands with aroma ranging across jiang, rich, and mixed flavors that include Zhen Jiu, Li Du, Xiang Jiao, and Kai Kou Xiao, which contributed 63%, 19%, 11%, and 5% of total revenue in 2024, respectively. ZJLD listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in April 2023 and was the ninth-largest among the listed baijiu distillers in terms of revenue in 2023. Through Jindong Investment, Chair Wu Xiangdong controls 67% of the firm’s total equity stake as of December 2024.

Royal Unibrew AS manufactures and sells beverages, including beer, malt beverages, cider, soft drinks, juice, and water. The company produces and distributes its own brands and partner brands, with its largest licensing agreements with PepsiCo and Heineken. Royal Unibrew is the PepsiCo bottler in Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Royal Unibrew is Heineken’s bottling partner in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and the Baltics. Royal Unibrew was founded in 1989 and listed on the Copenhagen stock exchange in 1998.In 2024, Royal Unibrew took over PepsiCo’s beverage business in Luxembourg and Belgium. In 2025, Royal Unibrew finalized its acquisition of Pernod Ricard’s portfolio of Nordic brands, including spirits, liqueurs, and wines.

Becle SAB de CV is a Mexico-based company operating in the liquor industry. It operates as a spirit company engaged in producing, selling and distributing spirits and liquors. The product portfolio of the company comprises whiskey, rum, and tequila, among others. The company sells its products across Mexico and around the world. Its portfolio comprises different brands such as 1800, Bushmills, Boodles, Hangar, Maestro Tequilero, Kraken, and others.

Treasury Wine Estates is an Australia-based global wine company that demerged from Foster's Group in 2011. The company is among the world's top five wine producers, and owns a portfolio that includes Australian labels such as Penfolds and Wolf Blass, US wines like Chateau St Jean and Sterling, and newly launched names such as 19 Crimes and Maison de Grand Esprit. An acquisition of Diageo's wine business in 2016 added additional US brands including BV and Stags' Leap. Treasury owns over 130 wineries, with more than 13,000 planted hectares.

Anadolu Efes Biracilik ve Malt Sanayi AS produces and distributes beer, sparkling, and still beverages under several brand names. It has joint control over Coca-Cola Icecek, which has the rights to sell Coca-Cola products in Turkey, Pakistan, Central Asia, and the Middle East. The group operates in two segments: Beer Operations (Beer Group) and Soft Drinks Operations (Soft Drinks), and the majority of its revenue is generated from the soft drinks segment.

Rémy Cointreau is the world’s third-largest distiller of cognac by volume, with a 13% global volume share in 2024, according to Euromonitor. Cognac represented 62% of Rémy's sales in fiscal 2025. The remainder of Rémy’s portfolio is made up of smaller brands, including Cointreau orange liqueur, Metaxa Greek spirit, Mount Gay rum, Bruichladdich single malt scotch, The Botanist gin, Hautes Glaces French whiskey, and Westland American whiskey. The company also distributes third-party brands. Rémy is controlled by the Andromede family, which owns 42% equity interest and consolidates the business in the Andromede Group. The Cointreau family owns a further 27%, and the rest of the equity is a free float.

Saigon Beer Alcohol Beverage Corp operates in the beverage industry. The company produces and sells beer, alcohol, beverages, and related products including material and packaging materials; to provide warehousing, logistics, and transportation services; to manufacture mechanical equipment, structural steel construction, and mechanical equipment installation services; and to construct and provide real estate services.

United Breweries Co Inc is a multi-category beverage company with operations in Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay and Uruguay. The company is a player in each one of the beverage categories in which it participates in Chile, including beer, soft drinks, mineral and bottled water, juice, wine, cider and pisco, among others. The Company has three operating segment with respect to its revenues in the geographic areas of commercial activity: Chile; International business and Wine. It generates maximum revenue from Chile.

Boston Beer is a top player in high-end malt beverages and adjacent categories in the US, with strong positions in craft beer, flavored malt beverages, hard cider, and hard seltzer. The bulk of volume and revenue is concentrated in four brands: Samuel Adams, Angry Orchard, Twisted Tea, and Truly. Beverages are produced using a hybrid model leveraging both in-house capacities and third-party breweries through contract arrangements. While the firm is required to use distributors to reach end markets, including retailers and on-premises operators, it also employs 500 internal sales representatives to educate the market about its products. The firm generates almost all sales in the US.

Nigerian Breweries PLC is a Brewing firm. The company's principal activities are brewing, marketing, and selling lager, stout, non-alcoholic malt, and soft drinks. Geographically, it derives a majority of its revenue from Nigeria and also has a presence in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the United States of America, Canada, some parts of Africa, and parts of the Middle East and Asia. The company's brands include Star, Goldberg, Turbo King, Ace Bitters, Gulder, Maltina, Legend Extra Stout, Amstel Malta, Heineken, Maltina Sip-it, Fayrouz, Goldberg, Malta Gold, and others.

Anhui Kouzi Distillery Co Ltd is a China-based wine brewing company. It is engaged in the production, manufacturing, and selling of wine and glass products. The company owns liquor series products under the brands of Kouzijiao, Laokouzi, Kouzifang, and Kouzimeijiu, among others.