Alexander Findlater, the great-grandfather of the present Alex Findlater, established Findlaters in 1823.

In 1852 the Findlater Mountjoy Brewery in Dublin was established and Findlaters involvement with wine goes back as far as the 1800's. John Fitzgerald, Alex's Great-grandfather certainly seems to have enjoyed a visit to Bordeaux in 1877, as he took with him the equivalent of €13,000 for "expenses"!

Findlater's were keen to develop their brand name, and amongst Cadbury's chocolate, Jacob's biscuits, Nestle condensed milk and Heinz canned goods, Findlaters developed their own extensive range of Findlater-brand tea, jams, jellies, furniture polish, coffee and sugar. Indeed almost all wines and spirits were bought in cask and sold under the Findlater label and guarantee. One could buy Findlater bottled Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Lafite, Leoville Bartons and many more.

Over the last 200 years Findlaters has become a veritable Dublin institution, with shops across Dublin, many of the original Findlater stores are still standing in Blackrock, Dalkey Rathmines, and the Gables in Foxrock.

Findlaters have a long history with Cantrell and Cochrane (C&C) going back as far as 1905 and in 2002; Alex Findlater sold his company to the Group.