The prestigious Chilean winery Concha y Toro has a long history. It was founded in 1883 by Melchor Concha y Toro, a member of Chilean nobility. It started trading in the country’s stock market in 1933. Interestingly, it became the first winery to trade in the NYSE in 1994 but was delisted in 2018.
Since its inception in the 19th century, its wine has had growing international demand, exporting first to the Netherlands. Nowadays, it sells in more than 140 countries under various brands, the most notable being Casillero del Diablo. The company has made a few moves that have secured it as a truly global company in the last decade. In 2010, it secured a deal with Manchester United to be the team’s official wine partner. One year later, Concha y Toro acquired Fetzer Vineyards in California for $238M.
The acquisition secured for Concha y Toro 1,060 new acres. It also owns 25K+ acres in Chile and Argentina, making it one of the world’s largest wine companies in terms of land ownership. In its latest full-year report of 2020, the company sold approximately 420M bottles of wine worldwide. Interestingly, its top-selling market is the UK, where people enjoy Malbec the most. That Manchester United partnership sure looks like it’s paying off.