Jake Wenz Named CEO At Sazerac

Sazerac, the U.S. market’s second-largest spirits player in volume terms, has named Jake Wenz as president and CEO. Next month Wenz will succeed longtime Sazerac chief executive Mark Brown, who is transitioning to the role of executive chairman.

Wenz joined Sazerac in 2015 as COO, and in 2019 transitioned to become chief commercial officer. Prior to that he spent eight years with PepsiCo-Frito-Lay, rising to become region vice president in the Pacific Northwest. Louisville Business First reported that the appointment is “part of an eight-year and long-signaled succession plan” at the company.

By volume, Sazerac is second only to Diageo in the U.S. spirits market, with volume of approximately 33 million cases in recent years. Its leading label, Fireball, grew 5.5% to above 7 million cases in the U.S. last year, according to Impact Databank. In volume terms, Sazerac is the largest-seller of whiskies in the U.S. as well as cordials/liqueurs.

Other million-case brands in the portfolio include Barton, Platinum 7X, Skol, Fleischmann’s, and Taaka vodkas, along with Paul Masson brandy. The company, owned by the Goldring family, is also a key player in Bourbon with brands including Buffalo Trace, Pappy Van Winkle, E.H. Taylor, Eagle Rare, Blanton’s, Weller, Ancient Age, and Ten High, among others.

Tagged : Buffalo Trace, Fireball, Sazerac

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