Diageo’s Katherine Smart Makes History as First Female Master Brewer

Katherine Smart has been elected as the Master of the Worshipful Company of Brewers for 2024 to 2025, becoming the first female master in 461 years.

The Worshipful Company of Brewers, also known as the Brewers’ Company, is one of the City of London’s livery companies and has records going back to 1563 when the practice of electing a master annually began.

“I’m thrilled to have been elected Master of the Worshipful Company of Brewers – an organisation playing a crucial role connecting brewers across the industry, and supporting valuable educational and research work,” Smart said.

“Brewing has historically been very male dominated, and when I started my career, I’d often be the only woman in the room at industry events. Today it is wonderful to see so many women entering the industry, building thriving careers and shaping the future of brewing.”

To mark the event, Diageo brewed a special Guinness which was served to guests. Arthur’s Last Ale was brewed to a recipe based on a brewing ledger from 1796 – one of the last batches of ale produced at St. James’s Gate in Dublin before the brewery focused on stout for the next 200 years.

Guiness has a relationship with the Worshipful Company of Brewers which dates back to the 1970s. Edward Guinness was the first member of the Guinness brewery to receive the honour in 1977, followed by Peter Lipscomb in 1990 and Stephen Wingfield Digby in 1997.

Smart meanwhile leads Diageo’s global technical team with responsibility for innovation, research & liquid development and packaging & governance. She is based at the Diageo Technical Centre in Menstrie, Scotland, and works closely with Diageo’s St. James’s Gate brewery in Dublin where Guinness is made (The centuries-old stout is now officially the best-selling draught beer in the UK).

The Worshipful Company of Brewers is one of London’s ancient livery companies and was once responsible for governing the beer trade in London. Today, the company remains closely connected to the brewing industry through its members.

Smart now paves the way for the next generation of female brewers around the world, having joined Diageo in 2019 from her role as a lecturer in Brewing and Distilling Sciences at Cambridge University. She was previously Global Chief Brewer & Vice President for supply chain integration at ABInBev, and also global chief brewer at SAB Miller.

Source: Diageo

Claudia Schubert, Diageo’s NA President + COO Named Industry Executive of the Year

Diageo announced this week that Claudia Schubert, North America President, and Chief Operating Officer, has received the “Industry Executive of the Year” award. The award was bestowed by Market Watch /Shanken Communications and is one of the highest awards in U.S. wine and spirits which is voted on by industry peers.

Claudia is the first woman to win this award and joins a list of past recipients that includes some of the biggest names in beverage alcohol. The inaugural executive to receive the same award 16 years ago was Diageo’s beloved late global CEO, Ivan Menezes.

Market Watch states:

“With more than 20 years in the drinks industry, Claudia has held a series of leadership roles at Diageo both in the U.S. and internationally, overseeing growth for a formidable portfolio of brands including Crown Royal, Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, and Don Julio among many others. Today, she is at the top echelon of management for Diageo’s North American sector.”

Recipient Claudia Schubert, says:

“As the first female recipient of this award I am proud to be a part of how this industry has evolved. Market Watch’s recognition is also a recognition of our entire Diageo North America team, and our unrelenting support of advancing the industry. I am infinitely proud of the work we do at Diageo, and the work the industry is doing as a whole to be more inclusive, sustainable and committed to responsibility. Together we can continue to do so much more to raise the bar for the future.”

Diageo appoints Debra Crew as its first female CEO

British multinational premium drinks giant Diageo has just appointed Debra Crew as CEO, one of few women to lead a FTSE 100 company.

Diageo announced that Sir Ivan Menezes would step down on June 30th after 10 years as chief executive and is promoting its current chief operating officer Debra Crew to chief executive officer effective 1 July 2023.

The company employs 28,000 people globally and sells over 200 brands in more than 180 markets. It is also the largest company, by net sales value, in scotch and Canadian whisky, vodka, gin, rum, liquors and tequila.

Only eight of the UK’s top 100 listed companies have a female chief executive, which include: Dame Alison Rose at NatWest, Amanda Blanc at Aviva, Dame Emma Walmsley at GSK, Jette Nygaard-Andersen at Entain, Liv Garfield at Severn Trent, Jennie Daly at Taylor Wimpey, Margherita Della Valle at Vodafone – who is interim chief executive – and Milena Mondini de Focatiis at Admiral.

Before being appointed chief operating officer in October 2022, Crew ran Diageo’s business in North America, its largest market. She joined the company in 2019 and previously headed the tobacco firm Reynolds American until it was acquired by BAT. Before that, she spent five years at PepsiCo and worked at Kraft Foods, Nestlé and Mars.

 

U.S. Guinness Brewery is set to open August 3, 2018

Starting August 3, 2018 Guinness beer will be brewed at its own U.S. brewing facility.

Starting August 3, 2018 Guinness beer will be brewed at its own U.S. brewing facility.

Guinness’ parent Diageo announced January 31, 2017 by press release that they would build a U.S. version of Dublin’s famous Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore County, Maryland.

The $50 million project includes the construction of a mid-sized Guinness brewery, packaging and warehousing operations as well as a tasting room, retail store and visitor center at Diageo’s Relay, Maryland site.

The new brewery would feed Guinness’ innovation program by creating new beers for the U.S. market, but the vast majority of the brand’s world-renowned stout offerings would continue to be brewed at the St. James’s Gate facility in Dublin, the company said.

“Opening a Guinness brewery and visitor center in the US will enable us to collaborate with fellow brewers and interact with the vibrant community of beer drinkers,” Diageo Beer Company, USA president Tom Day said in a press release. “Given the success of our Open Gate Brewery in Dublin and the popularity of beer tourism in the US, we are confident that Americans will welcome the opportunity to come experience Guinness brewing in Baltimore County.”

The full press release is included below:

RELAY, Md., January 31, 2017 – Continuing the momentum from Diageo Beer Company USA’s positive half year financial results, Diageo today announced its intention to build a US version of Dublin’s popular Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore County, Maryland. As currently planned, the company would build a mid-sized Guinness brewery and a Guinness visitor experience with an innovation microbrewery at the company’s existing Relay, Maryland site. This new brewing capability and consumer experience, combined with a packaging and warehousing operation, would bring the company’s investment in Relay to approximately $50 million. The new brewery would be a home for new Guinness beers created for the US market, while the iconic Guinness Stouts will continue to be brewed at St. James’s Gate in Dublin, Ireland. Visitors would be able to tour the working brewery, sample experimental beers brewed on-site at the taproom, and purchase Guinness merchandise at the retail store. While finalization of these plans is still contingent on reaching agreement on several considerations, the project would represent a significant investment in Maryland in terms of economic development, job creation and tourism.

“Opening a Guinness brewery and visitor center in the US will enable us to collaborate with fellow brewers and interact with the vibrant community of beer drinkers,” stated Tom Day, President, Diageo Beer Company, USA. “Given the success of our Open Gate Brewery in Dublin and the popularity of beer tourism in the US, we are confident that Americans will welcome the opportunity to come experience Guinness brewing in Baltimore County. We appreciate the support we have received so far from state and local officials and look forward to continuing to contribute to the local community.”

The project would re-establish a Guinness brewery in the US after 63 years of absence. The new brewery and visitor experience would become part of Diageo’s production facility in Relay, site of the historic Calvert Distillery which opened in 1933. Relay was chosen as the preferred location for this project for several reasons, including the site’s proximity to major East Coast tourist and population hubs, availability of skilled employees, and space to build and adapt existing structures on the property. While many specifics are still being evaluated, it is estimated that this project could generate approximately 40 jobs in brewing, warehousing and an agile packaging operation, which may include canning, bottling and kegging. In addition, the Guinness visitor experience part of the project could create approximately 30 jobs. A significant number of construction jobs would likely also be created during the building phase, and the company would endeavor to hire as many local firms as possible to conduct this work.

“Guinness’ plan to build a brewery at its historic facility in Relay, MD is great news for job creation, manufacturing, and tourism in our state,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “Beer tourism attracts millions of visitors to towns and communities across the country every year and I look forward to welcoming Guinness to the roster of excellent breweries we have here in Maryland.”

Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot said, “Today’s announcement is an exciting development for Maryland’s thriving tourism industry and our state’s burgeoning, award-winning brewing sector. The Guinness facility will be a strong boost for our economy by creating good-paying jobs for Marylanders and by attracting visitors from across the region and the country. I am optimistic that all stakeholders will come together and work collaboratively with the General Assembly to ensure that this innovative project moves forward.”

“Baltimore County is thrilled that Diageo is reviving a historic building with the iconic Guinness brand. The brewery and tap house has all the hallmarks to become a popular tourist destination and will be a perfect complement to our local craft breweries,” said Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz.

Tom Quirk, Chair of the Baltimore County Council whose district encompasses the Relay site, stated, “More than just a brewery, this is a significant investment in our community that represents a new direction for the historic Relay facility. Leveraging Guinness’ 250 years of brewing heritage and capitalizing on its great location for welcoming visitors to Baltimore County, this will be a strong boost for tourism, not only in the county, but the entire region.”

President Jason Chorpenning of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 27, which currently represents employees at Diageo’s Relay facility, also expressed support, saying, “UFCW Local 27 is very excited about the prospect of a brewing operation in the Baltimore market, and the potential for more jobs and membership in our great local union. We wholly support any legislation necessary to make this opportunity happen, and we will work with Diageo to ensure the success of this endeavor.”

“As the largest Diageo beer distributor in the state of Maryland, we are very excited about today’s announcement by Diageo Beer Company USA to resurrect its facility in Relay and build a brewery,” said Evan Anthanas, President, Chesapeake Beverage. “Not only will this project help build the Guinness brand in Maryland, the tourism piece and brand experience planned for this project will certainly enhance Maryland’s beer industry and be a benefit to our retail customers.”

Prominent Maryland restaurateur, Mark Loundas of Bill Bateman’s Bistro commented, “What an exciting announcement for tourism in Baltimore County and the state of Maryland. I know that this Guinness brewery project will benefit the entire hospitality industry including hotels, beverage alcohol retailers and other tourist destinations throughout our region.”

Diageo hopes to receive approvals and to begin construction this spring with the goal of opening the brewery this fall to mark the 200th anniversary of Guinness being first imported into the US.

As reported in Diageo’s half-yearly financial results last week, Diageo Beer Company USA organic net sales increased 3%.

About Diageo

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan’s whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice.

https://www.diageo.com/

Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA

About Guinness

The Guinness brand was established in 1759, when Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000 year lease on St. James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin. Brewed using four main ingredients, water, barley (malted & roasted), hops and yeast, Guinness is the world’s most popular stout. The iconic beer is brewed in 49 countries worldwide and sold in over 150 with almost 9 million glasses of Guinness enjoyed every day around the world. The most GUINNESS is sold in Great Britain, Ireland, USA, Nigeria and Cameroon. More information can be found at www.guinness.com.

https://www.guinness-storehouse.com/en

@homeofguinness