Starting February 1, Robert Hanson, the former head of Constellation Brands’ global wine and spirits portfolio, will take over as CEO of The Duckhorn Portfolio following its acquisition by Butterfly Equity. The Los Angeles-based private equity firm announced the acquisition of Duckhorn, the leading luxury wine company in the U.S., in a transaction valued at approximately $1.95bn (€1.89bn) on December 24.
Hanson began his career in advertising and consulting before spending 23 years with Levi Strauss & Co. He then served as CEO of publicly traded American Eagle Outfitters and luxury jewelry brand John Hardy. Between 2013 and 2019, Hanson was a board member of Constellation Brands, and from 2019 until February 2024, he led its global wine and spirits portfolio. In his brief role as a consultant, Hanson was one of the key architects behind the Duckhorn acquisition by Butterfly Equity.
"I am honored," says Hanson, "to lead Duckhorn at such an exciting and pivotal time for the industry. The pioneering spirit of the Duckhorn Portfolio, its unwavering focus on quality, and its commitment to innovation have solidified its position as a leader in luxury wines. The company begins this next chapter from a position of extraordinary strength, with a proven strategy for growth and market expansion, which I look forward to building upon."
Hanson succeeds Deirdre Mahlan, who served as President and CEO of Duckhorn. Mahlan, the former Finance and North America Chief at Diageo, worked at Duckhorn for nearly four years, including the last 16 months as CEO. She will now work closely with Hanson and the Duckhorn leadership team to ensure a smooth transition.
The Duckhorn Portfolio is North America's leading luxury wine company, with eleven wineries, ten state-of-the-art production facilities, and over 2,200 ha/5,500 ac of vineyards. Founded in 1976 by Dan and Margaret Duckhorn as Duckhorn Vineyards in Napa Valley, the portfolio today includes Duckhorn Vineyards, Decoy, Kosta Browne, Goldeneye, Paraduxx, Calera, Migration, Postmark, Canvasback, and Greenwing. In late 2023, the group acquired the California Chardonnay specialist Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards from Brown-Forman.
Los Angeles-based private equity firm Butterfly invests exclusively in the beverage and food sectors. Since its founding in 2016, Butterfly has built a diverse portfolio with a company valuation of around $8bn (€7.77bn). SP