Diageo set to invest £1 billion on Scotch whisky production to meet surging demand

London, June 7 (ANI): British drinks giant Diageo is set to spend a billion pounds on whisky production to meet surging global demand and create hundreds of new jobs.he group, which owns Johnnie Walker and Bell's whisky, said it would increase production by between 30 and 40 percent over the next five years, the Daily Express reports.

The investment includes opening a new malt distillery in the north of Scotland and expanding nearly half of its existing 28 distilleries.

Chief executive Paul Walsh said its investment was necessary to 'seize the opportunity' of global growth.

He added: "This is a pivotal moment in the development of our whisky category. Scotch whisky is Scotland's most celebrated manufacturing export and resonates with consumers from Boston to Beijing. We expect that success to continue around the world."

"This includes countries such as India and China, whose drinkers like to mix whisky with green tea, and in parts of Europe where it is common to mix it with soft drinks such as cola," Walsh added. (ANI)