Hailing from Ontario, Kat has always had a passion for the hospitality and mixology industries. She is currently a bartender at Cry Baby Gallery, one of North America's Top 100 Bars, and will soon also bring her talents to LIBRARY BAR at the Fairmont Royal York. As Kat has grown her skills, she has set goals for herself as a mixologist, with one of those being to compete (check!) and be able to travel doing what she loves—which she will at the end of this year as she travels to Paris for the global Grand Finale of the 2026 Monin Cup.

We also just crowned our winner of the US + Puerto Rico event and now have an all-female finalist group representing North America (Mexico, US/PR and Canada) in the Grand Finale.

TORONTO, Aug. 5, 2026 /CNW/ -- Corby Spirit and Wine Limited ("Corby" or the "Company") (TSX: CSW.A) (TSX: CSW.B) today announced it has signed a definitive agreement (the "Transaction") and sold the Lamb's rum brand and certain assets to Maison des Futailles, L.P., a subsidiary of Phildan Inc., and Glen Turner Company Limited, a subsidiary of COFEPP SAS ("Phildan" and "COFEPP", respectively; collectively, the "Buyers") for $39.2 million. Under the agreement, Phildan acquired the North American rights to the brand, while COFEPP acquired the rights to the brand in the rest of the world outside North America.  

TRANSACTION RATIONALE

• Sharpens Corby's focus on Corby's priority growth platforms, including ready-to-drink beverages and premium spirits.
• Frees capital and resources for higher-return opportunities.
• Simplifies the portfolio and supports long-term growth, profitability and shareholder value creation.

"The sale of Lamb's is a disciplined portfolio management decision that supports Corby's long-term strategy," said Florence Tresarrieu, President and Chief Executive Officer of Corby. "It allows us to further focus our resources on higher-priority categories, strengthen our financial position, and continue investing behind the brands and innovations that will drive Corby's next chapter of growth."

"Lamb's is one of Canada's most recognized rum brands, and we're proud to welcome it into the Dandurand Group family. This acquisition strengthens our brand portfolio, expands our presence in the spirits category and reflects our long-term commitment to investing in brands with strong consumer recognition and significant growth potential," said Hugues Gauthier, President of Phildan.

"Lamb's is a well-established brand in the United Kingdom that complements our existing portfolio and strategic objectives. We are excited about the opportunities ahead and committed to supporting the brand's continued success, and building the next chapter of its long history," said Christophe Pichambert, International Director, La Martiniquaise-Bardinet.

TRANSACTION DETAILS 

Under the terms of the agreement, Corby has sold the Lamb's rum brand, all related intellectual property and brand inventories at closing to the Buyers for $39.2 million, subject to customary adjustments. Corby and its affiliated companies will provide transition support regarding production and distribution of the brand for the Buyers for a period of time post-closing. The transaction was approved by Corby's board of directors.

Penderyn Distillery has just landed one of its rarest releases to date, with just 420 bottles of its 25-year-old Welsh single malt whisky available worldwide at £1,200 per bottle, as interest in ultra-aged and collectible spirits continues to rise.

The release arrives at a time when the economics of rare whisky are becoming increasingly compelling for collectors and investors alike. According to Dataintelo, the global super premium whiskey market was valued at $12.8 billion in 2025 and is forecast to reach $24.6 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 7.5 percent. Within that market, the 21-years-and-above segment is projected to be the fastest-growing age tier, expanding at 9.4 percent CAGR through 2034.

Against that backdrop, Penderyn’s 25-year-old expression enters the market with the kind of scarcity that drives both desirability and long-term value. With only 420 bottles in circulation, the release is aimed squarely at collectors who value age, provenance and rarity in equal measure. Interest is already building around the lowest-numbered bottles, with Bottle 1 from Barrel 1 understood to be attracting valuations of more than £6,000.

Stephen Davies, Chief Executive of Penderyn Distillery, said: “This 25-year-old release is a landmark moment for Penderyn. It reflects the patience, craft and confidence required to bring a whisky of this age and quality to market, and it also demonstrates how far Welsh whisky has come in a relatively short time.”

He added: “Collectors today are looking for more than scarcity alone. They want authenticity, heritage, exceptional liquid and a story behind the bottle. This release brings those elements together and gives Penderyn a powerful statement in the ultra-premium whisky space.”

The commercial logic behind the release is clear. Dataintelo reports that single malt accounted for 38.4 percent of the super premium whiskey market in 2025, making it the largest product segment, while specialty stores led distribution with a 36.4 percent share and online sales are projected to grow at an 11.2 percent CAGR through 2034. Those figures point to a luxury drinks market increasingly shaped by informed buyers, curated retail and digital discovery.

For Penderyn, the arrival also reflects the strength of the brand’s wider growth story. The distillery marked its 25th anniversary in 2025 with more than 140 international awards, exports to over 50 countries and production capacity of up to 2.3 million bottles annually across its three distilleries in Penderyn, Llandudno and Swansea. Penderyn has described that as a 130 percent increase in production capacity in recent years.

That scale matters because mature whisky is a long-game business. Dataintelo notes that supply constraints are structural in older whisky because distilleries must commit stock decades in advance, creating natural scarcity for 21-year-old and older expressions. In other words, bottles reaching shelves today reflect production decisions made in the early 2000s or earlier, which is one reason well-aged whisky commands such a premium.

Penderyn’s distinct production style also strengthens its position in that space. The distillery uses its unique Faraday still to create a light, fruity and flavoursome spirit, with new make produced at around 92 percent ABV before maturation and reduction. That elegant house style, combined with long maturation and careful cask management, has helped Penderyn carve out a clear identity in a category traditionally dominated by Scottish and Irish names.

As a Welsh producer, Penderyn carries another important point of difference. The company was founded in 2000 and is widely described as the first distillery in Wales for more than 100 years, helping revive Welsh whisky production on a commercial scale. Today, with exports spanning key markets including France, Germany, the USA, Ukraine and China, Penderyn is part of a broader world whisky conversation that increasingly rewards originality as much as heritage.

Davies said: “Penderyn has always believed Welsh whisky could stand confidently on the world stage. Releases like this 25-year-old show that Wales can compete in the rarest and most prestigious end of the market, not only in terms of quality but in collectability and global appeal.”

With only 420 bottles available at £1,200 each, and with collector attention already focusing on the most sought-after editions, Penderyn’s new 25-year-old release captures the economics of modern luxury whisky in one bottle: limited supply, long maturation, global demand and a fast-rising reputation for Welsh single malt.

Milan, 27 July 2026 – HostMilano, the world’s leading exhibition for hospitality, foodservice and food retailcontinues to strengthen its international presence through strategic partnerships with leading industry organizations. Following the successful debut of Host Arabia in the Gulf region last December, Fiera Milano is now bringing the Host brand to North America through a partnership with NAFEM (North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers), one of the sector's most influential associations.

The collaboration gives rise to Host America, a new platform designed to connect international companies with the world's largest professional hospitality market. The event will take place in Orlando, Florida, from 11 to 13 February 2027, at The NAFEM Show—North America's premier trade events for foodservice equipment. By combining the international reach of the Host brand with NAFEM's deep roots in the U.S. market, the partnership creates new business opportunities and offers exhibitors direct access to a highly qualified audience of buyers and industry professionals.

The United States: The World's Most Dynamic Market

The United States continues to confirm its position as the world's most attractive market for the sector. According to exclusive ExportPlanning analyses conducted for the Host Milano Observatory, U.S. imports across Host's core sectors increased from €22.5 billion in 2019 to €24.8 billion in 2025 and are forecast to approach €27 billion by 2029. Growth is being driven primarily by demand for professional equipment for gelato, coffee and bakery applications.

Within this landscape, Italy occupies a position of outstanding importance. ExportPlanning estimates that Italy is now the United States' seventh-largest global supplier and the largest supplier within the European Union. Italian exports to the U.S. rose from €395 million in 2019 to €689 million in 2025, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.7%. Italy's strongest market penetration is in bakery and pastry equipment, where it accounts for 28% of U.S. import demand. Even more remarkable is the performance of gelato equipment and refrigeration technologies: between 2019 and 2025, Italian exports quadrupled from €71 million to €286 million, achieving an average annual growth rate of 26.1%—more than twice the already robust pace of overall market growth.

Host America: Showcasing the Industries Driving Growth

Host America will spotlight the sectors in which Made in Italy represents the highest standards of technological excellence and innovation: Coffee equipment and vending technologies, Gelato equipment and refrigeration, Furniture, tableware and hospitality design, Bakery and pastry equipment. These four product sectors represent key pillars of the professional hospitality industry and are currently benefiting from sustained structural growth in the U.S. market.

With Host Arabia and Host America, Fiera Milano has launched a strategic international expansion of the Host brand into the world's highest-potential markets. Together with Milan, Riyadh and Orlando create a complementary network of international events that leverages the unique opportunities offered by each regional market while further strengthening HostMilano's position as the world's leading trade show for professional hospitality, foodservice and food retail.

Host America will take place in Orlando, Florida, from 11 to 13 February 2027, at The NAFEM Show.

The 44th edition of Host Milano will be held at Fiera Milano from 22 to 26 October 2027.

For the latest updates, visit host.fieramilano.it or follow @HostMilano.