Simon Hunt, CEO of Catalyst Spirits, commented: “In our second full year in market, we are witnessing incredible demand for this product and see endless opportunity for growth as we maximise Campari’s established route-to-market expertise, including its vast sales organisation and distributor relationships, both in the US and internationally.”Ĭampari Group – whose brands include the hugely successful Aperol, Campari and SKYY Vodka – has a track record for building global brands and Catalyst hopes that will also be true for Howler Head. The bourbon, having only launched in 2021 in the US, still has distribution potential there, plus the existing markets of Canada and the UK. The Americas is already the biggest region for Campari Group’s sales, with a 27% share in the first half of 2022, well head of home market Italy’s 19%. Growth in the US was 7.1% during the period but Campari’s existing bourbon, Wild Turkey, easily outpaced that at 26%, indicating that the timing could be perfect for Howler Head to come aboard. In the first half of 2022, Wild Turkey achieved global growth of 28%. Other than the US, Australia was up by 8.% while South Korea soared with “strong triple-digit growth” according to Campari Group. These markets could therefore be targets for the distribution of a new bourbon in the portfolio.

In its first full year of operations, Howler Head sold over 50,000 nine-litre cases, generating net sales of $6.7 million. Since the beginning of 2022, Howler Head has expanded its operations in the US and Canada, while also entering the UK, and is set for further international expansion.Ĭampari Group’s 15% stake can be raised to 100% through customary call options based on the future brand results, but can only be exercised from 2025.

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