For decades, Guinness has been more than just Ireland’s favourite beverage —it’s been a cultural icon, and for better or worse, a symbol of Irishness across the world.
In recent months a new force has emerged in the online world. Meet the ‘Guinfluencer’ – fans of the stout who review pints, comment on ‘domage’ and ‘shtick’ among other characteristics.
With stout shortages over Christmas causing chaos in the UK, and ‘G’s being split like they are going out of fashion, it feels like what was once the everyman’s stout has reached peak public hysteria.
But now, whispers are growing louder that Diageo, the global drinks giant and owner of ‘The Black Stuff’, might be looking to sell off the legendary stout.
A Bloomberg report on Friday said Diageo was exploring a potential spin-off or sale of Guinness, in what would be the biggest corporate change for the Irish beer brand since it was merged with Grand Metropolitan in 1997. Stock market-listed Diageo was also said to be reviewing its minority stake in LVMH’s drinks unit, Moët Hennessy. Guinness would likely be valued at above $10bn (€9.50bn), Bloomberg reported, citing the sources. On Tuesday Diageo confirmed it has agreed to sell its 80.4pc stake in Guinness Ghana to Castel Group for $81m, the drinks giant said.
Is there more to come, and what would a broader sale mean for the future of the company and its St James’s Gate brewery?
Today on The Indo Daily, Fionnán Sheahan is joined by Donal O’Donovan, Business Editor with The Irish Independent, and Turtle Bunbury, Historian and host of the Behind The Guiness Gates podcast series, to discuss the rise of the ‘Guinfluencer’, and what a potential sale of Irelands biggest export might mean for the wider country?
The Indo Daily: Splitting the G – Shock at potential Diageo sale of Guinness amid the rise of the ‘Guinfluencer’
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