British Diageo to bid for Polmos Białystok?

Diageo has not yet submitted its offer, but both companies have signed a preliminary agreement to cooperate. Other companies that submitted their offers to buy Polmos Białystok (the distiller owns brands such as Absolwent and Żubrówka) were: Bols, Central European Distribution Cooperation, Sobieski Dystrybucja, SPI Group, Pernod Ricard, Alti Kraków and Siedlce and Polmos Lublin. Meanwhile, "Polmos Lublin and Diageo have signed an initial agreement. The British concern may become the Polish company's partner in the Polmos Białystok privatization tender," said a person close to the deal. Diageo sells its products in 180 countries. Its 2004 sales were GBP 8.89 billion compared to GBP 9.2 billion in 2003. Its net profit reached GBP 1.96 billion and GBP 630 million, respectively. (Puls Biznesu, p. 5) D.W.