Company behind Crown Royal whisky signs deal to sell Ontario bottling plant

A bottle of Crown Royal Canadian whisky is seen in Burlington, Ont., on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Vokey

The company behind Crown Royal whisky says it has agreed to sell its bottling plant in southern Ontario.

A spokesperson for Diageo says in a statement that while the agreement for the Amherstburg facility has been signed, details about its buyer won’t be shared.

The statement says more information will be shared “when appropriate.”

The plant, in a historic town along the Canada-U.S. border, was put up for sale after Diageo announced its closure, effectively cutting about 200 jobs.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford in response threatened to pull Crown Royal from liquor store shelves, though he backed down after Diageo agreed to $23 million in spending in the province.

Diageo has bottling and distillation facilities in Manitoba and Quebec, and has said its Crown Royal products will still be mashed, distilled and aged at Canadian facilities.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2026.

Aaron Sousa, The Canadian Press