The company was founded in 1895 by the Spiliopoulos family in the port of Patras, when the city was the leading exporter of raisins globally. At the time, raisins were a particularly popular product the British for the preparation of traditional puddings, as well as the French for wine production - a time at which their vineyards were struck by phylloxera. For many decades, the company used the surplus of raisins as raw material for the production of alcohol. Over the course of the 20th century, it emerged as the leading producer of pure alcohol, brandy and Mavrodaphne wine in Greece. Except for the period during World War II, the company has been in continuous operation for over 125 years, making it one of the oldest distilleries in Europe. In 2022, the company embarked on a new chapter in its history under the name BGS ALCOHOLS S.A., as ownership passed to investors led by Dimitris Chandris and Harry Smith, who, together with a new management team, aim to strengthen the company's competitive position in the Greek market and to develop its footprint abroad. Building on its long-established heritage, our company is committed to honoring its history and investing in its facilities and people to ensure robust growth in Greece and abroad.
