Diageo could sell Guinness for as much as £8billion to cash in on a boom in demand for the Irish stout, according to reports.
The FTSE 100 drinks giant, which also owns whisky brand Johnnie Walker and Smirnoff vodka, is considering ways of boosting growth – and it could include spinning Guinness out into a separate business.
Diageo is also gauging potential takeover interest in the brand with a view to possibly selling it outright, according to Bloomberg.
The company’s shares jumped 4.3 per cent, or 102p, to 2503.5p on the news.
Raising a glass: The popularity of Guinness has surged among younger drinkers and women in recent years thanks partly to it being sipped by the likes of the Princess of Wales
The popularity of Guinness – once a staple of male rugby fans – has surged among younger drinkers and women in recent years thanks partly to it being sipped by the likes of the Princess of Wales.
Guinness is so popular that last month pubs complained about running dry – forcing Diageo to introduce rationing as it rushed to replace stock.
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