Mergers and acquisitions in the beverage alcohol category were steady in the first half of 2021, but represented a slowdown compared to the first half of 2020.
There were 16 deals made in H1 2021 compared to 26 in H1 2020. The vast majority of the deals fell in the supplier segment of the industry. There were 9 deals that involved spirits brands, 4 that involved wine brands and no notable acquisitions for a beer brand.
New to the Park Street M&A roundup this year were some notable acquisitions in the e-commerce space. Uber acquired Drizly for $1.1 billion, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits took a stake in ReserveBar, and GoPuff acquired BevMo. 
In 2020, Constellation Brands, Diageo and Pernod Ricard were active buyers, each with a handful of deals to close out the year, but in 2021 there was a wide mix of companies represented. Below is a roundup of the most notable beverage alcohol M&A deals in the first half of 2021. To view the M&A roundup from 2020, click here.
January
MGP Ingredients Acquired Luxco for $475 Million
February
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Acquired Epic Wine & Spirits
LVMH Took 50% Stake in Jay-Z’s Armand De Brignac
Uber Bought Alcohol Delivery Startup Drizly for $1.1 Billion
March
Chatham Imports Made Equity Investment In Los Siete Misterios Mezcal
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Ventures Division Made Equity Investment In ReserveBar
Treasury Wine Estates Reach Long-Term Agreement with The Wine Group for Several Commercial Brands in its US Portfolio
April
E&J Gallo Acquired RumChata Liqueur
Diageo Acquired RTD Cocktail Brand Loyal 9
May
E&J Gallo Acquired LIQS Premium Cocktail Shots
Constellation Acquired Minority Stake In Burston’s La Fête Du Rosé
Anheuser-Busch Invests in Canteen Spirits
June
Constellation Brands Invested in “Breaking Bad” Stars’ Mezcal
Uncle Nearest Debuted New $50 Million Venture Fund
Delivery Service GoPuff Acquired Liquor Barn Retail Chain
Delicato Family Wines Acquired Francis Ford Coppola Winery
For the latest list of mergers and acquisitions, along with analysis of major players and buyer motivation, check out Park Street’s 2023 Beverage Alcohol M&A Overview.