Forbes magazine and The Sunday Times newspaper (top 350 only) have revealed their 2025 Rich Lists. As a result, I have updated below the list for the richest people in the Drinks Industry, based both in the UK and other locations worldwide where updated sources were available…
1 – Bernard Arnault and family (LVMH) – worth £137.7bn
Bernard Arnault is the CEO of French luxury brands conglomerate LVMH, and still the richest man in the world to have vested interests in the drinks trade with a personal fortune of over £30bn. He has previously proposed a reorganisation of his holding company (Agache), which also has interests in fashion and retail, to give equal stakes to his five children.
The LVMH portfolio includes high-end Champagne brands Dom Perignon, Moët & Chandon, Krug, Veuve Clicquot, as well as Château d’Yquem, in addition to fashion brands including Louis Vuitton, Dior and Fendi.
As of 2024, LVMH’s Wines & Spirits division generated €5.86 billion in revenue, accounting for approximately 6.9% of the group’s total revenue of €84.7 billion. Bernard Arnault and his family own 48.6% of LVMH’s shares, equating to a stake in the Wines & Spirits division worth approximately €2.85 billion. Given Bernard Arnault’s estimated net worth of £137.7 billion, the Wines & Spirits division represents about 2.5% of his total wealth.
2 – Jorge Paulo Lemann (AB Inbev) – worth £21.4bn
In 1989, the Brazilian-born Lemann took over the Brazilian brewer Brahma and grew this through numerous acquisitions to the world’s largest beer company AB InBev. To this day, he is one of the main shareholders and the management is dominated by his people.
Although Lemann’s wealth is predominantly derived from his significant holdings in AB InBev, known for brands such as Budweiser, Stella Artois, and Corona. Through 3G Capital, Lemann has also played a pivotal role in major acquisitions, including Burger King, Kraft Heinz, and Tim Hortons.
3 – Bacardi family (Bacardi) – worth £15bn
Bacardi Limited boasts a diverse portfolio of over 200 brands, including Bacardí rum, Grey Goose vodka, Patrón tequila, Dewar’s Scotch whisky, Bombay Sapphire gin. The company remains entirely family-owned, with the Bacardi family overseeing its operations across seven generations.
4 – Alejandro Santo Domingo (AB Inbev) – worth £13.3bn
The majority of his wealth stems from a 5% stake in Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), the world’s largest brewer. This stake was acquired when the Santo Domingo family’s former company, Bavaria Brewery, merged with SABMiller in 2005, and subsequently, SABMiller merged with AB InBev in 2016.
5 – Brown family (Brown-Forman) – worth £13.2bn
The Brown family owns an estimated 50% of Brown-Forman. Campbell Brown, a 5th-generation family member, chairs its board. The family’s substantial ownership stake translates to a significant portion of the company value, underpinning their considerable wealth.
6 – Pierre Castel (Castel Frères) – worth £12bn
Castel founded the company in 1949 and wine is central to the French group’s portfolio, owning 21 estates in Bordeaux and Provence, including controlling shares in Château Beychevelle, as well as numerous brands from lands it owns across France and also Morocco, Tunisia and Ethiopia and big négociant houses such as Barton & Guestier and Patriarche.
The real money-spinner though is beer. Before it was acquired by AB InBev, SAB Miller had formed a partnership with Castel whereby SAB owned 20% of Castel and Castel owned 38% of SAB’s African business.
Pierre Castel’s wealth is primarily derived from his ownership of Groupe Castel, a privately held company. The group’s extensive portfolio includes well-known brands such as Baron de Lestac, La Villageoise, and 33 Export beer.
The Frenchman Castel is the richest of French tax exiles, given that he is a Switzerland resident.
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken took over from father Freddy Heineken after his death in 2002 as controlling shareholder of the Dutch brewer with a 23% stake — a role she describes as being “a guardian” of the company founded by her great-grandfather in 1864. Alexander, the oldest of her five children, is on the board of the holding company. Heineken is the second largest brewer in the world with Amstel, Bulmers Cider, Tiger Beer, Red Stripe, Strongbow Cider and Newcastle Brown Ale. They also have a 10% stake in Double Dutch Drinks, a London-based maker of tonics and mixers.
“Yes, I didn’t like the fact that my name was on every cafe when I was at school, but that’s OK now.” Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken
8 – Jude Reyes (Reyes Holdings) – £9.6bn
Reyes Holdings is a privately held company and one of the largest food and beverage distribution firms in the United States, with annual revenues exceeding $40 billion. The company operates across various sectors, including beer distribution, foodservice logistics, and bottling operations.
9 – Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi (Thai Beverage) – worth £9.3bn
Thailand’s largest brewer, known for its Chang beer. International Beverage Holdings Limited was established in 2006 as the international arm of ThaiBev, and its products sell in more than 80 countries around the world. Among the brands in its extensive portfolio are Chang beer, Caorunn gin, Old Pulteney scotch whisky and a range of Chinese wines and Chinese and Thai spirits.
In 2025, Charoen initiated a succession plan by transferring significant holdings to his five children.
9 – Marcel Herrmann Telles (AB Inbev) – worth £9.3bn
Marcel Hermann Telles (pictured below, far right) is one of the controlling shareholders of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest brewer, of which he owns a minority stake. Telles continues to serve on the board of AB InBev and maintains significant influence over the company’s strategic direction.
In December 2023, Telles transferred a substantial portion of his AB InBev stake, valued at approximately US$6.1 billion, to his son, Max Van Hoegaerden Herrmann Telles, as part of a succession plan.
11 – Wang Junlin (Sichuan Langjiu) – worth £7.76bn
Wang Junlin chairs Sichuan Langjiu, one of China’s largest spirits suppliers.
His wealth stems primarily from his significant stake in Langjiu Group, one of China’s leading producers of baijiu, a traditional Chinese distilled spirit. He holds a 76.7% ownership in the company, which was valued at RMB 130 billion (approximately $19.4 billion USD) in 2021. Langjiu is recognised as one of the top six baijiu brands in Sichuan province, alongside renowned names like Kweichow Moutai and Wuliangye.
12 – Saji and Torii families (Suntory Global Spirits) – worth £7.44bn
Chairman Nobutada Saji’s grandfather made Suntory Holdings a household name in Japan. Founded by Shinjiro Torii in 1899, the company’s family ownership helped Saji’s ability to acquire US distiller Beam back in 2014, and the result is global drinks giant Beam Suntory, renamed to Suntory Global Spirits in 2024. Nobutada Saji himself has a personal worth of an estimated £980m.
Saji’s nephew Nobuhiro Torii (pictured above), a great grandson of Suntory’s founder, was promoted to COO and executive vice president of Suntory Holdings in 2016.
13 – Maria Asuncion Aramburuzabala & family (Grupo Modelo/ AB Inbev) – worth £7.34bn
Maria Asuncion Aramburuzabala is by far México’s best known businesswoman. She serves on the board of beer giant Anheuser-Busch InBev. She inherited a stake in beer giant Grupo Modelo with her mother and sister from her father. Grupo Modelo was sold to AB InBev in 2013 for $20 billion.
14 – Carlos Alberto Sicupira (AB Inbev) – worth £6.7bn
Most of Carlos “Beto” Sicupira’s wealth comes from his shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest brewer, in which he owns about a 3% stake. Sicupira resides in St. Gallen, Switzerland, and is known for his philanthropic endeavours, particularly in supporting educational and social causes in Brazil.
15 – Glenn Gordon & family (William Grant & Sons) – worth £6.4bn
The family behind William Grant & Sons remains in buoyant health.
William Grant & Sons was founded by the Grant Gordon family in 1887 and has grown to become one of the leading players in the international spirits trade. The company produces some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky, including Glenfiddich, The Balvenie and Grant’s. In addition, it also produces Irish whiskey Tullamore D.E.W and the Drambuie liqueur brand. In 2024, the company expanded its portfolio by acquiring The Famous Grouse and Naked Malt brands.
The business has been chaired since 2012 by Jersey-based Glenn Gordon, 60, the founder’s great-great-grandson. The family ranks in Scotland as one of country’s wealthiest. Founder William Grant pictured below (extreme left).
16 – Alexander Ricard & family (Pernod Ricard) – worth £6.25bn
The family behind the global drinks giant Pernod Ricard was created in 1973 when two of France’s leading “anise-based spirits producers, Pernod and Ricard, merged in 1973. By 1976 it began to diversify its portfolio and acquired Irish Distillers (the maker of Jameson) in 1988 and Jacob’s Creek in 1989. In 2001 its acquisition of 40% of the Seagram’s business brought Chivas, Martell and The Glenlivet into its portfolio and the Champagne brands came in 2005 with the acquisition of Allied Domecq; a move which also made it the world’s second largest wine and spirits company.
The Ricard family holds a significant stake in Pernod Ricard, owning about 14.05% of the company’s capital and controlling 20.71% of the voting rights. This ownership structure underscores their substantial influence over the company, which is the world’s second-largest wine and spirits seller. Alexander Ricard has been serving as the Chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard since 2015, continuing the family’s legacy in leading the company.
17 – William Goldring & family (Sazerac) – worth £5.6bn
Chairman of Sazerac Company, one of New Orleans’s oldest, largest, and most successful family businesses.
18 – Robert Sands (Constellation Brands) – worth £4.8bn
19 – Richard Sands (Constellation Brands) – worth £4.64bn
Richard and Robert Sands’ father, Marvin, founded a humble wine business in 1945 at age 21. That small operation has grown into a publicly traded behemoth now called Constellation Brands, which generates over $7 billion in annual revenue. Subsidiaries include Robert Mondavi wine and Svedka Vodka. Constellation also holds the rights to Grupo Modelo’s U.S. beer business, including its Modelo and Corona labels.
20 – Anthony von Mandl (Mark Anthony Brands) – worth £4.6bn
Anthony von Mandl (pictured below) created the ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages White Claw Hard Seltzer and Mike’s Hard Lemonade through his Mark Anthony Brands. These products have significantly impacted the alcoholic beverage market, particularly in North America.
21 – Beatriz Davila de Santo Domingo (AB Inbev) – worth £3.8bn
22 – Bert Beveridge (Tito’s vodka) – worth £3.6bn
Bert “Tito” Beveridge is the founder and sole owner of of Fifth Generation Inc., the company behind Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Tito’s vodka is one of the fastest growing spirits brands in America.
“If someone tells me my brand isn’t a craft-distilled spirit because it’s too big, I just say, ‘I make it the same way I’ve always made it. I just have a lot more stills.'” Bert Beveridge
Beveridge started the company in 1997 with $90,000 borrowed using 19 credit cards. He slept on floors and couches while he built the business.
Xu Jin’s wealth primarily stems from his significant ownership stake in Anhui Kouzi Distillery, a prominent Chinese baijiu producer. As of September 2024, he owns approximately 116 million shares, representing about 19.34% of the company’s total equity.
24 – Alexandre van Damme (Jupiler beer/ AB Inbev) – worth £3.11bn
The richest heir of the Piedboeuf family, the family’s legacy in the brewing industry dates back to 1812 with the founding of the Piedboeuf Brewery in Jupille-sur-Meuse, Belgium. In 1966, they introduced Jupiler, which has become Belgium’s best-selling beer. The brewery merged with Artois in 1987 to form Interbrew, a precursor to AB InBev.
This valuation is based on her ownership of about 20.47 million shares, representing 11.5% of the company, with a market value of approximately $3.65 billion USD.
26 – Wu Xiangdong (ZJLD Group) – £2.6bn
Wu Xiangdong is the founder and chairman of liquor maker ZJLD Group, a leading Chinese liquor company specialising in baijiu. The company’s successful IPO in Hong Kong in 2023 valued it at around $4.5 billion USD.
In addition to ZJLD Group, Wu chairs Vats Liquor, a prominent liquor store chain in China, further contributing to his substantial net worth.
27 – Karen Virginia Beckmann Legorreta (Jose Cuervo) – worth £2.57bn
Karen inherited a nearly 36% stake in Becle S.A.B., maker of Jose Cuervo tequila, from her father, Juan Francisco Beckmann Vidal.
28 – Dominique Heriard Dubreuil family (Remy Cointreau) – worth £2.5bn
The family’s holding company, Orpar SA, holds over 40% of Rémy Cointreau’s share capital and more than 45% of its voting rights, underscoring their influential position within the company.
29 – Jean-Pierre Cayard (La Martiniquaise) – worth £2.4bn
Jean-Pierre Cayard’s father founded spirits group La Martiniquaise in 1934.
Jean-Pierre, now President, joined in 1970 and has turned it into one of France’s largest spirits groups, with a portfolio of international brands. Its brands include Porto Cruz, a leading Port; Label 5 scotch whiskey brand; and Poliakov, France’s top-selling vodka. More recently they have also acquired the Cutty Sark blended scotch whisky brand.
The private company, which he owns, has 24 production sites and 27 subsidiaries throughout the world.
30 – Luca Garavoglia (Campari Group) – worth £2.1bn
Following the passing of his mother, Rosa Anna Magno Garavoglia, in 2016, Luca assumed control of Alicros, the holding company that owns 51% of Campari’s equity and a majority of its voting rights.
31 – Charles Bronfman (Seagram’s) – worth £2.0bn
Charles Bronfman is long removed from the 2000 deal in which he and nephew Edgar Jr. sold their family’s Seagram spirits to Vivendi for $34 billion.
33 – Juan Domingo Beckmann Legorreta & family (Jose Cuervo) – worth £1.84bn
Beckmann Vidal is chairman of Mexican tequila maker Jose Cuervo, which went public in February 2017 and raised more than $900 million. The company owns Latin America’s oldest active distillery, in the Mexican town of Tequila.
Jose Cuervo has been in the same family for 11 generations. Beckmann Vidal’s son, Juan Domingo Beckmann Legorreta (pictured above), serves as CEO. Juan inherited a nearly 51% stake in tequila firm Becle S.A.B., maker of Jose Cuervo, from his father Juan Francisco Beckmann.
34 – Sergei Studennikov (Krasnoye & Beloy) – worth £1.75bn
Sergei Studennikov is the founder and majority owner of the Russian retail chain Krasnoe & Beloe (Red & White).
His wealth is primarily derived from his significant stake in Mercury Retail Holding, the parent company of Krasnoe & Beloe, which he co-founded in 2006. The company has experienced rapid growth, expanding to over 20,000 stores across 76 regions of Russia by 2024. In 2022, Mercury Retail reported revenues of 993 billion rubles, with a net profit exceeding 48 billion rubles, making it one of the most profitable retail companies in Russia.
35 – Ni Yongpei & family (Anhui Yingjia Distillery) – worth £1.7bn
Ni Yongpei has been serving as Yingjia Group’s Chairman since 2003, but his career in baijiu started when he was just a teenager. At age 18, he was working at a local distillery in Anhui called Huoshan distillery, which later became Yingjia. Ni and his family reportedly control about 24.84% of Yingjia shares.
36 – Alessandra Garavoglia (Campari Group) – worth £1.65bn
37 – Wu Shaoxun (Jing Brand) – worth £1.5bn
Duke Reyes, along with his brothers J. Christopher Reyes and Jude Reyes, co-founded Reyes Holdings in 1976. While his brothers serve as co-chairmen, Duke Reyes leads as CEO, overseeing the company’s expansive operations.
Yang Tingdong’s wealth primarily stems from his significant stake in Jiangsu Yanghe Distillery, a leading Chinese baijiu producer.
40 – Andres Santo Domingo (AB Inbev) – worth £1.28bn
While his brother, Alejandro Santo Domingo, actively manages the family’s investments and serves on the board of AB InBev, Andrés has pursued interests in the music industry. He co-founded Kemado Records and is involved in various cultural and philanthropic endeavours.
41 – Lalit Khaitan (Radico Khaitan) – worth £1.2bn
Liquor baron Lalit Khaitan is chairman of the publicly traded spirits maker Radico Khaitan.
Radico Khaitan, established in 1943 as Rampur Distillery, is one of India’s oldest and largest manufacturers of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL). The company’s shares experienced a significant surge of over 50% in 2023, driven by increased sales and the successful launch of new products.
42 – Jim Koch (The Boston Beer Company) – worth £1.1bn
Jim (James) Koch created Samuel Adams beer in 1984 and has since been known as a founding father of the American craft brewery movement.
43 – Molson family (Molson Coors Brewing) – worth £1.05bn
The Molsons have been able to maintain a powerful position in the beer industry over seven generations. The company is a result of the 2005 merger between Molson and Coors and it is spending US$12 billion to purchase full control of the MillerCoors joint venture, which includes global rights to the Miller brand name. Both Geoff Molson (pictured above) and Andrew Molson are involved in the brewery. 
Vera inherited a significant portion of the Santo Domingo family’s wealth following her husband’s passing in 2009. She controls about 11% of the family’s Luxembourg-based holding company, which owns shares in Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), the world’s largest brewer.
46 – Yuri Shefler (S.P.I. Group/ Stolichnaya vodka) – worth £880m
Yuri Shefler is owner of S.P.I. Group, which produces and sells alcohol under 380 brands in 160 countries. Its best known brand is Stolichnaya vodka, which Shefler bought from state-owned VVO Soyuzplodoimport for $285,000 in 1997. Russia’s Supreme Court ruled the sale illegal in 2001, banning Shefler from selling the vodka inside its borders. In 2014, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium joined Russia in banning sales of Stolichnaya.
S.P.I. owns rum company Louisiana Spirits Company, tequila company Fabrica de Tequilas Finos in Mexico and wine producer Achaval Ferrer in Argentina.
Shefler’s wealth has seen fluctuations over the years, with estimates reaching up to $2.6 billion USD in previous assessments. Factors contributing to these variations include legal disputes over trademark rights, such as the long-standing contention with Russian state-owned company FKP Sojuzplodoimport regarding the ownership of the Stolichnaya and Moskovskaya brands.
47 – Richard Yuengling, Jr. (D.G. Yuengling & Son Brewery) – worth £800m
Zhang Yubai’s wealth primarily stems from his leadership role in Yanghe Group, a prominent Chinese producer of baijiu, a traditional Chinese spirit.
50 – Adriano and Alexandre Schincariol (Schincariol) – worth £620m
The Schincariol brothers amassed their wealth through their significant stake in Schincariol, which was Brazil’s second-largest beer producer. In 2011, they sold their 50.45% controlling interest in the company to Japan’s Kirin Holdings for BRL 3.95 billion.
51 – James Watt (BrewDog) – worth £425m
52 – Martin Dickie (BrewDog) – worth £398m
53 – Gilberto Schincariol Junior (Schincariol) – worth £390m
Gilberto, along with his siblings Daniela Maria Schincariol Medina and José Augusto Schincariol, inherited a 49.54% stake in Schincariol through their holding company, Jadangil Participações e Representações Ltda. In 2011, they sold this stake to Japan’s Kirin Holdings, completing the acquisition of the entire company.
54 – Charles Rolls (Fever Tree) – worth £298m
In 2004 Rolls launched his Fever-Tree Drinks brand with Tim Warrillow, having lamented the lack of high-quality mixers while running his Plymouth Gin business.
Over the years, Rolls has sold portions of his stake in the company, including a 3.9% share for £73 million in May 2017 and a 2.6% share for £82.5 million in March 2018. Despite these sales, he retains a significant shareholding in Fever-Tree.
55 – Leonard Russell & family (Ian MacLeod Distillers) – worth £202m
The West Lothian-based Ian Macleod Distiller’s financial performance has been robust, with net assets reported at £187.6 million as of September 2023.
56 – Everardo Ferreira Telles (Ypioca) – worth £200m
Everardo Telles has implemented a succession plan, transferring ownership equally among his seven children. In January 2024, his daughter, Aline Telles, assumed the role of CEO, while his son, Paulo Telles, became vice-chairman of the board.
57 – David McMullen & family (McMullen & Sons Brewery) – worth £181m
58 – Tim Warrillow (Fever Tree) – worth £167m
59 – Tony and Barbara Laithwaite (Laithwaites Wine) – worth £164m
60 – Aaron and Tania Hillman & family (Angus Dundee Distillers) – worth £158m
Led by brother and sister Aaron and Tania Hillman, the Hillman family owns Angus Dundee Distillers, which produces whisky from its Speyside-based Tomintoul and Eastern Highlands-based Glencadam distilleries. As early as 1948, Sidney Hillman formed a company with the name Burn Stewart and sold whisky from different producers. In time his son, Terence “Terry” Hillman joined and Burn Stewart remained in the family until it was sold in 1988. The same year Terry founded Angus Dundee Distillers with the same business concept – purchasing of whisky to be blended and sold on, today Terry is 87 years old and still sits on the company board which is controlled by his children, Aaron and Tania.
Financially, Angus Dundee Distillers has demonstrated robust performance. As of June 2024, the company reported net assets of £246.5 million, with a turnover of £61.8 million.
61 – Joe Sloan & family (SHS) – worth £152m
The SHS Group, established in 1975 by Joe Sloan and Geoff Salters, is a Belfast-based food and drinks distribution company. It owns and distributes several well-known brands, including WKD, Shloer, and Merrydown Cider.
The company’s financial performance has been robust. As of December 2023, SHS Group reported a turnover of £664.8 million and net assets of £159.4 million.
62 – Sukhinder and Rajbir Singh (Elixir Distillers) – worth £147m
Established in 2015, Elixir Distillers Ltd has demonstrated significant financial growth. As of June 2024, the company reported net assets of £147.68 million, marking a 43% increase from the previous year. The company’s total assets stood at £204.79 million, with a turnover of £12.88 million.
In 2021, the Singh brothers sold The Whisky Exchange, an online spirits retailer they founded in 1999, to Pernod Ricard with industry analysts estimating the deal to be worth up to £429 million. In 2022, Elixir Distillers acquired the Tormore Distillery from Pernod Ricard, further expanding their footprint in the Scotch whisky industry.
63 – The Urquhart Family (Gordon & MacPhail) – worth £140m
The Urquhart family has maintained ownership and management of the company across four generations. In recent developments, Richard Urquhart, a fourth-generation family member, was appointed as Sales Director in March 2025, reflecting the family’s ongoing commitment to the business
64 – Mark and Anthony Woodhouse and family (Hall & Woodhouse Brewery) – worth £137m
Hall & Woodhouse, established in 1777 in Blandford Forum, Dorset, is a family-owned brewery renowned for its Badger Ales and a portfolio of over 180 pubs across southern England. The company’s financial health is robust, with reported net assets of £134 million and a turnover of £121.8 million for the financial year ending January 2024.
65 – John Rudd & family (Berry Bros & Rudd) – worth £110m
Established in 1698, the company largely handles wine, but sells spirits including No.3 London Dry Gin, and also bottles its own line of spirits.
66 – Charlie Morgan and Jackson Quinn (AU Vodka) – worth £56m each
Note that for simplicity, I have excluded from the Rich List above people who have significant business interests in different areas and included only those who sole or main assets are within the Drinks Industry where possible (unless the assets derived from drinks were provided).
Sources used:
- The Sunday Times Rich List (UK) – requires subscription
- Challenges (France)
- Forbes magazine (USA)
- Canadian Business Magazine (Canada)
- The World’s Top Booze Billionaires (2021)
- ChatGPT (AI)
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