Joseph E. Seagram & Sons
Canada
Owned by:
Diageo
Place in the hierarchy
The distillery in brief
Joseph E. Seagram & Sons was a prominent Canadian distiller, initially established in Waterloo, Ontario. The company gained significant recognition for its Canadian whiskies, becoming a major player in the global spirits industry. Under the leadership of Samuel Bronfman, who acquired the company in 1928, Seagram expanded into a vast international conglomerate. It was known for iconic brands such as Seagram's VO, Seagram's 7 Crown, and Crown Royal.
Timeline
- 1857 William Hespeler establishes a distillery in Waterloo, Ontario, which would later become part of Seagram.
- 1869 Joseph E. Seagram becomes a partner in the Waterloo distillery.
- 1883 Joseph E. Seagram becomes the sole owner of the distillery, renaming it Joseph E. Seagram & Sons.
- 1928 Samuel Bronfman's Distillers Corporation acquires Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, laying the foundation for a global empire.
- 1939 Seagram introduces Crown Royal Canadian whisky to commemorate the visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to Canada.
- 2000 The process of dismantling and selling off Seagram's assets to various corporations begins.
