Campari Group plans to add a second distillery at its Wild Turkey campus in Lawrenceburg. The company will invest $161 million and create 31 additional jobs in Anderson County.
Campari Group will construct a brand-new distillery at the Wild Turkey campus that will be designed to produce 5 million additional proof gallons of Wild Turkey bourbon annually. This will significantly increase the current capacity from 9 million to 14 million proof gallons. The new facility will locate adjacent to the company’s existing distillery. The project also entails an expansion to the waste treatment dry house process to increase processing capacity, doubling the current dry house and waste treatment output. With this investment, Campari Group will also upgrade the current barrel-filling operation to handle the increased volumes.
This investment adds to the over $300 million in operation and expansion commitments already financed by Campari Group since the acquisition of the Wild Turkey distillery 14 years ago and comes on the heels of another significant investment announced a few months ago with the acquisition of Wilderness Trail Distillery in Danville. The project is expected to break ground by October 2023 and be completed by the end of July 2025.
“We are delighted to announce this important investment and we appreciate the support received by the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development and the local authorities,” said Ugo Fiorenzo, managing director of Campari America and Canada. “Since 2009, when Campari Group acquired the Wild Turkey Distillery, we have significantly invested in the bourbon category, which now represents Campari Group’s second major leg after the aperitif portfolio. This expansion project confirms, once again, our commitment to this category and it will allow for the continued growth of the Wild Turkey and Russell’s Reserve franchise, both in the United States and internationally.”
Campari Group is a major player in the global spirits industry, with a portfolio of over 50 premium and super premium brands, spreading across global, regional and local priorities. The group was founded in 1860 and today is the sixth-largest player worldwide in the premium spirits industry. Campari Group has a global distribution reach, trading in over 190 nations around the world with leading positions in Europe and the Americas. Campari Group is headquartered in Sesto San Giovanni, Italy, and owns 23 plants worldwide with its own distribution network in 23 countries.
Campari America LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Davide Campari-Milano N.V. Campari America has built a portfolio unrivaled in its quality, innovation and style, making it a top choice among distributors, retailers and consumers. Campari America manages Campari Group’s portfolio in the U.S. with leading brands like SKYY Vodka, SKYY Infusions, Grand Marnier, Campari, Aperol, Wild Turkey Kentucky Straight Bourbon, American Honey, Russell’s Reserve, as well as a variety of other whiskey, rum, gin and vodka products.
