Beam Suntory has decided to bring distribution operations in-house in Brazil.

As per the plan, the company will assume the management and ownership of its route to market starting July, ending its prior agreement with Bacardi.

Beam Suntory International president Pryce Greenow said: “In pursuit of our objective to be the world’s most admired and fastest-growing premium spirits company, we are focused on building premium brands of scale, particularly in fast-growing markets.

“By establishing our own route-to-market, we are excited to accelerate our performance in Brazil and build an important long-term growth platform.”

“We are excited to offer consumers a twist on the traditional categories in Brazil.”

In the last three years, Beam Suntory has established its own distribution in key spirits markets, including China, Mexico, South Korea and South Africa.

In a press statement, the company said that Brazil is a high-potential emerging market, where brands such as Jim Beam Bourbon and Teacher’s Whisky already have an established presence.

Beam Suntory Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil general manager Walter Celli said: “We are excited to offer consumers a twist on the traditional categories in Brazil.

“With Jim Beam, the world’s #1-selling bourbon, we’ll bring refreshing serves like the Highball, which is a great fit for our climate in Brazil to enjoy outdoors. We’ll also introduce ROKU, a craft Japanese gin, and offer Haku Japanese vodka, a break from the traditional Eastern European vodka.”

In March this year, Beam Suntory released Legent, a bourbon made by blending Kentucky Straight Bourbon with additional bourbon that has been aged in wine and sherry casks.

Claimed to create a balanced and layered whiskey, this method is used by Fred Noe, who is a master distiller at Jim Beam. The product is blended by Shinji Fukuyo, the fifth chief blender of Japanese whisky brewer Suntory.