Absolut Vodka is the number three selling brand in the world and, unlike its competition, is not owned by the type of corporation you might expect. It is owned by the Swedish government - for now, at least. The parliament just approved a plan to sell the vodka brand, as well as its parent company, V&S Vin & Sprit AB, and several less well-known brands, to the highest bidder. The estimated price tag is $5.7 billion.
Absolut is quite a prize for other liquor companies because it is the top imported vodka in the US - a market that is one of the largest in the world - and is rapidly increasing in popularity in countries like Brazil, Canada, Britain and Germany. There are already several interested buyers. Bacardi, which also owns Grey Goose Vodka, has thrown its name into the hat, as have Pernod Ricard, Brown-Forman and Fortune Brands. Time will tell where Absolut's ownership ends up, but the state is confident that its Swedishness will remain intact, as the vodka will still be produced in Sweden.
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