In a major development for the consumer insights sector, IWSR, the global leader in data and analysis for the alcoholic beverage market, has officially become part of WGSN, a renowned international trend forecasting company.
This strategic acquisition, completed in June 2024, marks a transformative step for both companies and promises to significantly reshape how businesses understand and predict market trends in the food and beverage sector.
Founded over 50 years ago, IWSR has built an exceptional reputation by delivering accurate, actionable insights into the global alcoholic drinks market. The company serves more than 250 clients across 160 countries, combining proprietary data, advanced analytics, and cutting-edge technologies. Since being acquired by private equity firm Bowmark Capital in 2021, IWSR has more than tripled its revenue and profits, expanded globally, and diversified its product portfolio.
WGSN, part of the Ascential Group and financially supported by Apax Partners LLP, has long been recognized for its pioneering work in forecasting consumer behavior across fashion, beauty, interiors, and more. In 2020, WGSN launched a dedicated Food & Drink platform, signaling its intent to become a major player in this fast-evolving segment. By acquiring IWSR, WGSN now takes a bold step forward in integrating high-quality market intelligence with its predictive analytics capabilities.
Julie Harris, CEO of IWSR, highlighted that the company is now poised for even greater innovation and expansion. “The partnership with Bowmark Capital was pivotal in unlocking IWSR’s potential. With WGSN, we can now leverage additional resources and global platforms to scale faster and bring deeper foresight to our clients,” Harris stated.
Carla Buzasi, CEO of WGSN, noted the complementary nature of the merger: “IWSR’s specialist data and expertise in alcoholic beverages will now be enhanced by WGSN’s predictive tools and trend forecasting models. Together, we can provide unmatched clarity and strategic guidance to our clients in the food and drink space.”
Fiona McCormick, Partner at Bowmark Capital, added that they are proud to have supported IWSR through a high-growth period focused on innovation and digital transformation. “The business is now perfectly placed to accelerate further with WGSN’s international reach and trend-driven model.”
While the financial terms of the transaction remain undisclosed, the deal was supported by expert advisors in mergers and acquisitions, legal, and strategic consulting across all parties involved.
As the landscape of consumer behavior becomes increasingly complex and data-driven, this merger signals a powerful shift toward integrated, technology-enabled forecasting. By bringing together IWSR’s deep category expertise and WGSN’s foresight infrastructure, clients across the global beverage and consumer sectors will benefit from enhanced, forward-looking insights that can shape long-term strategy in a volatile marketplace.
Source: Vinetur