According to people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg Hillhouse Capital is considering a sale of its stake in Scotch whisky maker Loch Lomond Group.
The people said that the investment firm has been approached about a potential deal by private equity firms and companies in the sector, and they asked not to be identified as discussing a private matter. The people said that Loch Lomond could be valued at $800 million.
In 2019 Hillhouse acquired Loch Lomond. The people said that the firm and Chongqing Jiangxiaobai Liquor Co., a Chinese distiller that Hillhouse also supports, jointly control the Scotch whisky maker.
Hillhouse could still decide to keep its stake at an early stage, the people said. A Hillhouse representative didn't want to say anything.
According to its website, Loch Lomond's first distillery site dates back to 1814. It produces single-malt and single-grain Scotch whisky at a facility in Alexandria, Scotland.
Hillhouse, founded in 2005 by Zhang Lei with the help of the Yale University endowment, had about $106 billion in assets as of the end of 2021. It has more than 450 investment and operational professionals, according to its website.