Diageo and baijiu: the curious story that might be set to end
Diageo is reportedly mulling its future in China, where it has built something no other Western drinks company has – a significant and credible presence in baijiu.
21 January 2026
21 January 2026
Diageo is reportedly mulling its future in China, where it has built something no other Western drinks company has – a significant and credible presence in baijiu.
The company's co-founders and major shareholder filed a motion to reconsider receivership late last month.
Six years ago, Constellation sold brands to Gallo, a deal that included supply contracts that have now ended.
The US wine producer told Just Drinks it has “not run production operations at the estate for a couple of years, so a substantial portion of the property has been idle for some time”.
Chareau is sold only in the US and is now available in more than 40 states.
Joe Scalzo had been the US shakes-and-snacks group’s CEO for six years up to July 2023.
The sale follows Del Monte Foods’ bankruptcy filing last July and forms part of a broader court-supervised disposal involving three buyers.
The forum, organised by Arena International, Just Drinks’ sister events business, made its debut last year and will reconvene in London tomorrow.
Merging industry-leading business intelligence & award-winning journalism, this is an unrivalled opportunity for engagement with B2B professionals across a network of 40+ leading media websites.
Steer your business strategy with key data and insights from our latest market research reports and company profiles. Not ready to buy? Start small by downloading a sample report first.
Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights.