Diageo Raises the Bar

Right from the outset of the pandemic, Diageo, the company behind brands Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, Baileys and Guinness, stepped up on all fronts to help the hospitality industry and key workers alike.

The brand began by donating nearly two million litres of alcohol to manufacturing partners to support the production of hand sanitiser. The donation helped overcome shortages in healthcare systems and protect frontline workers.

It then announced a raft of measures to help support the beleaguered British drinks trade. With the usual St Patrick’s Day festivities cancelled, Diageo-owned Guinness pledged £1,000,000 to support bartenders across the nation. The company also helped to support smaller retailers, pubs and bars up and down the country by providing flexibility on order size and allowing smaller customers to manage their inventory.

Now the company has announced an £80 million programme to help pubs and bars resume post-lockdown in cities including London, Edinburgh, Belfast, Dublin, New York, Mexico City, Shanghai, Delhi, Mumbai, Sydney and beyond.

The ‘Raising the Bar’ programme will run for two years and will be available for the hospitality sector to access from July.

Diageo designed the programme following a global survey of bar owners to identify what they need to reopen after lockdown. Their top priorities include hygiene measures and physical equipment to transform how their outlets will work.