Beam Global Spirits & Wine Announces Agreement with funkin, Ltd. to Distribute Line of All-Natural Cocktail Mixes

DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. [Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE: FO)], a global leader in premium spirits, today announced a new partnership with funkin, Ltd. to bring a fresh line of cocktail mixes to the United States. funkin offers ready-to-pour, all-natural purées, syrups and cocktail mixes that help bartenders quickly create fresh and innovative cocktails.

funkin is the United Kingdom’s leading supplier of all-natural fruit purée cocktail mixers. Available in 24 flavors, funkin’s line of fruit purées, syrups and cocktail mixes are packaged in convenient foil pouches that are marketed to bartenders to provide fresh, high-quality, textured fruit flavor to premium cocktails. Beam Global is the exclusive U.S. distributor of funkin products.

“funkin is delighted with the new distribution agreement and to sit alongside Beam Global’s fantastic stable of brands. This is a great opportunity to couple high-quality products to meet growing and changing consumer demands,” said Alex Carlton, founder and managing director of funkin.

“Through our partnership with funkin, Beam Global will expand its range of cocktail solutions to offer bartenders great tasting, innovative drinks for their customers,” stated Kelly Doss, senior director of marketing, Beam Global. “We know the U.S. market is hungry for all-natural products that can be easily incorporated into bar and restaurant menus. We see this partnership as a great opportunity to help our brands stand out from the competition with fresh fruit and natural ingredients.”

“Through my work with bartenders across the country, I know they are looking for new and fresh cocktails to offer their consumers,” said Bobby “G” Gleason, master mixologist and manager of on-premise training, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. “funkin offers bartenders and their customers the convenience of fresh fruit flavors without having to take time and energy to crush fruit and blend it to perfection. funkin’s resealable, easy-to-grasp foil pouch is the new best friend of busy bartenders seeking the highest quality ingredients. Moreover, bartenders will no longer be limited to in-season fruits when crafting specialty cocktails.”

The funkin mixes and purées offer a long shelf-life and can be used up to 10 days once opened and refrigerated. funkin fruit purées are made up of 100 percent natural fruit and contain no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. The full range of funkin purées features flavors such as blueberry, William pear, raspberry and green apple.

For more information about funkin and its products, please visit: www.funkin.co.uk.

About Beam Global Spirits & Wine:

Inspiring conversations around the world, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., is building brands people want to talk about. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for our brands, including Jim Beam® Bourbon, Sauza® Tequila, Canadian Club® Whisky, Courvoisier® Cognac, Maker's Mark® Bourbon, Laphroaig® Scotch Whisky, Cruzan ® Rum, Larios® Gin, Whisky DYC®, Teacher's® Scotch Whisky, DeKuyper® Cordials and Liqueurs, Knob Creek® Bourbon and Starbucks™ Liqueurs. Beam Global Spirits & Wine is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE: FO), a leading consumer brands company with annual sales exceeding $8 billion. For more information on Beam Global Spirits & Wine, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com.

© 2008 Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., Deerfield, IL

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Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc.
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