Campari Reports Q3 Growth Amid Tax Evasion Charges
The beverage giant records a 3.4% rise in organic sales while its chairman faces potential trial for tax evasion.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Cocktails
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Campari Group reported 3.4% organic sales growth in Q3 2026, marking six consecutive quarters of increases. Simultaneously, Italian prosecutors have requested that chairman Luca Garavoglia stand trial regarding an alleged €1.29bn tax evasion.
Why it matters
The company's performance highlights a strategic focus on aperitif and agave categories that has bolstered global growth despite regional volatility. Investors are balancing these operational gains against the significant legal and financial pressures facing company leadership.
Campari recorded €2.29bn in net sales for the first three quarters of 2026. Growth figures included 9.3% in developing markets and 6.7% in its House of Aperitifs segment, while House of Whiskey and Rum sales declined by 10%.
The players
Campari Group
An Italian-headquartered company that manufactures and sells a global portfolio of premium spirits and wines.
Luca Garavoglia
The chairman of the Campari Group who is currently the subject of an Italian prosecutorial request to stand trial.
Lagfin
A Luxembourg-based holding company that previously paid €405m to Italian tax authorities to resolve a civil dispute.
The details
Growth is largely driven by investments in the aperitif and tequila categories alongside geographic expansion and convenience format innovations. Meanwhile, the legal dispute continues following a previous €405m settlement paid by Lagfin to settle a civil tax claim.
Timeline
2025: Italian police seized €1.29bn worth of shares.
Q1 2026 - Q3 2026: Combined sales performance tracked across specific market segments.
Q3 2026: Campari recorded 3.4% organic sales growth.
October 2026: Prosecutors requested a trial for Luca Garavoglia.
Culture Shift
This development marks a significant escalation in the company's long-running legal friction with Italian regulators, extending beyond the previous civil tax dispute resolution protocols. It highlights the vulnerability of global alcohol brands to shifting cross-border tax scrutiny.
Consumers are unlikely to see immediate changes to product availability or pricing as a direct result of these legal proceedings. Shoppers should continue to expect the company's current strategy of focus on premium aperitifs and convenient formats.
The takeaway
While the company maintains growth through strategic portfolio choices, the ongoing legal situation creates uncertainty for long-term stakeholders. Readers interested in the brand may monitor future court developments for potential impacts on corporate leadership.
Further reading
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