Registry · DEO
Does Diageo plc support Israel?
Yes — Diageo plc has documented support for Israel on record. Every claim below links to its source.
Filed under: Food & beverage brands · Companies that support Israel
Background
Diageo has no recorded donations, statements, or political support for Israel, and neither the company nor its brands appear on the BDS movement's target lists. Its Israel presence is commercial: the Middle East is managed through a network of local distributors, and in Israel that has been IBBLS — a distribution company Diageo co-founded in 2002 with Israel Beer Breweries of the Central Bottling Company group and which is today part of that Israeli group. No post-October 2023 Diageo statement or donation relating to Israel was found, and the Diageo North America Foundation's grant filings show no Israel-linked grantees. The 2015 dispute over Johnnie Walker's kosher certification in Israel was a religious-certification row, unrelated to political support.
Wines Israel (IBBLS profile) SEC 20-F FY2008 ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer — Diageo North America Foundation The Spirits Business (2015 Johnnie Walker kosher row)
Documented support
| Type | Date | Amount | Recipient | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operations in Israel | 2002-02 | — | Israeli market (via exclusive distributor IBBLS) Diageo's brands — Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Guinness, Baileys, J&B and others — are sold and marketed in Israel through IBBLS, an importer-distributor set up in February 2002 as a joint venture between Diageo and Israel Beer Breweries (part of the Central Bottling Company group, Coca-Cola's Israeli franchisee), replacing Diageo's former Guinness-UDV distribution arm. IBBLS, today part of the Central Bottling Company group, remains the exclusive Israeli distributor of Diageo; Diageo's SEC annual reports list Israel among the markets where it "sells and markets its brands via local distributors." This is commercial distribution of consumer products, not a donation, statement, or political support. |
Frequently asked questions
Did Diageo plc donate money to Israel or Israeli causes?
We have no records of cash donations, but Diageo plc has documented support of other kinds (Operations in Israel). See the records on this page.
Where does this information come from?
Every record on this page links to its source — news reports, official company statements, tax filings, or government records. 5 distinct sources are cited for Diageo plc. Our methodology page explains the full verification process.
Sources & citations
Record last updated: 2026-07-22
- Ynet (Hebrew, Feb 2002 — Diageo-Israel Beer Breweries joint distribution company) ynet.co.il
- Wines Israel (IBBLS profile) winesisrael.com
- SEC 20-F FY2008 sec.gov
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer — Diageo North America Foundation projects.propublica.org
- The Spirits Business (2015 Johnnie Walker kosher row) thespiritsbusiness.com