The Sazerac Company has completed its purchase of the Southern Comfort brand of whisky liqueurs.
The company hails the purchase as a “long-time staple of New Orleans . . . finally coming back to its roots,” according to a press release. The precursor brand to Southern Comfort — Cuffs & Buttons — was created by M. W. Heron while he worked as a bartender in New Orleans, the home base of Sazerac.
Thus, Sazerac plans to restore the New Orleans connection in Southern Comfort’s branding and packaging, worldwide.
“When the brand came up for sale, we knew it would be a perfect addition to our portfolio,” said Kevin Richards, Sazerac senior marketing director, in a press release. “Not only does the brand tie perfectly with our heritage, but it’s also a wonderful complement to many of our other New Orleans rooted brands. We’re looking forward to positioning iconic Southern Comfort for its next 140 years.”
Sazerac will develop a comprehensive global strategy for Southern Comfort in the coming months, the company said, including evaluating the current assortment of Southern Comfort product offerings and packaging before making determinations about any changes or additions.
Sazerac also announced that it has completed the acquisition of Tuaca. Tuaca is a brandy-based spirit that was first imported from Italy in the 1950s.
Traditionally, Tuaca is served as a cold shot, through the vanilla citrus flavor makes it useable in a range of mixed drinks.
Sazerac will develop its comprehensive global strategy for Tuaca in the coming months. The brand’s heritage is expected to be played up in the new brand strategy.
