Over the years, Mr. Lucio L. Co has enjoyed success across the various business segments he has ventured into. Through Cosco Capital, Inc., he has led his companies to growth in the grocery retail, wine and liquor distribution, real estate, and oil and minerals businesses.
Mr. Co is popularly recognized for successfully growing the Puregold Price Club chain of supermarkets and S&R Membership Shopping outlets into one of the leading retail groups in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia.
Recently, Mr. Co’s wine and liquor distribution companies – Montosco, Inc., Meritus Prime Distributions, Inc., and Premier Wine and Spirits, Inc. – were transferred to Da Vinci Capital Holdings (DAVIN) as wholly-owned subsidiaries.
DAVIN was a publicly listed company acquired by Mr. Co in 2013 as a holding company for the family’s future businesses. In June of 2021, the Company increased its authorized capital in preparation for its full operation.
DAVIN has now been officially renamed The Keepers Holdings, Inc.
The new name is derived from the term “Keeper” – an honor given to a person who has shown outstanding achievement and commitment to the Scotch whisky industry. Mr. Co was bestowed this title by The Keepers of the Quaich, an exclusive and international society that recognizes outstanding achievement in those who work or evangelize about Scotch whisky and its industry.
But beyond whisky, Mr. Co’s wine and liquor distribution business has shown success in other spirits, particularly brandy, as well as in wines and other specialty beverages. The Keepers Holdings, through Montosco, Meritus, and Premier, has grown a comprehensive international brand portfolio.
Their product line includes market leaders such as Alfonso, Johnnie Walker, Chivas, Jim Beam, Jameson, Jinro, Absolut Vodka, Tanqueray, Jose Cuervo, Baileys, and other global brands that hold leading positions in their respective categories.
A recent study by the IWSR Drinks Market Analysis Limited, the global benchmark for beverage alcohol data and intelligence, showed that The Keepers controlled 74 percent of the imported spirits market volume in the Philippines in 2020.
Under the leadership of Mr. Co, The Keepers is projected to sustain its lofty position in the country’s imported spirits industry. The Keepers Holdings’ dominance in the imported spirits segment provides it an unparalleled understanding of the next generation of Filipino consumers who will be driving the growth in the near and medium-term.
The Keepers Holdings’ public debut intends to unlock the untapped potential of Montosco, Meritus, and Premier, thereby providing a platform for the group’s future growth and giving the investing public access to an investment outlet in the Philippine liquor industry.
In July 2021, The Keepers Holdings filed an application for a follow-on offering or a ‘re-IPO’ with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE). Based on a prospectus dated July 13, 2021, The Keepers Holdings plans to offer up to 3 billion common shares at an offer price of P2.00 to P2.50 per share. The Keepers Holdings has engaged China Bank Capital Corp., PNB Capital and Investment Corp., and SB Capital Investment Corp. as joint issue managers, joint lead underwriters, and joint book-runners.
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