French billionaire Pierre Castels group acquires 80.4 of Guinness Ghana from Diageo for 81 million, valuing the company at 100.75 million.
Guinness Ghana will keep producing Diageo's brands under long-term licensing and royalty agreements despite Castel taking control.
The deal marks Castels entry into Ghana, reinforcing its stronghold across Africas beverage market with over 100 factories continentwide.
Castel Group , the beverage company founded by French billionaire Pierre Castel, has finalized the purchase of an 80.4 percent stake in Guinness Ghana Breweries Plc from British multinational Diageo Plc for 81 million. The deal expands Castels footprint in Africa, where it already has a strong presence across North, West, and Central Africa.
Castel takes control of Guinness GhanaWith this acquisition , Guinness Ghana is now valued at 100.75 million. Although Castel now holds the majority stake, Diageo will keep ownership of the Guinness brand, along with other products it developed in Ghana. Under new long-term licensing and royalty agreements, Guinness Ghana will continue brewing and distributing those brands locally. It will also keep handling Diageos international premium spirits in Ghana.
The deal strengthens Castels position in Ghana, where it will oversee production and marketing while continuing to work with Diageo on broader growth initiatives. Castel, which already operates in more than 20 African markets, sees this move as a natural extension of its long-running collaboration with Diageo. For Diageo, the agreement fits into a wider effort to streamline its operations in West Africa and focus on sustainable growth in the region.
From Bordeaux to Africa: Castels broad reachFounded in 1949, Castel Group began as a family-run business under Pierre Castel, whose net worth was estimated at 9.9 billion in 2015 . Over the decades, the company has become the largest French wine producer, managing more than 1,400 hectares of vineyards across Bordeaux, Provence, the Loire Valley, and Languedoc. In addition to wine, Castel is the leading table wine supplier in France and a major player in Africas beer and soft drink markets.
In Africa, Castel holds a strong footprint through its Castel Afrique subsidiary, which operates in 21 countries. The group runs over 100 factories and employs more than 40,000 people on the continent. It is estimated to hold more than 25 percent of profits from the African beer market.