Fortune Brands has hailed the performance of its Beam Global Spirits & Wine unit in the first quarter, ahead of the proposed separation of the group. The company, which announced last year that it will become a standalone spirits business, posted its figures for the first three months of 2011 earlier today (5 May). Operating profits at the drinks unit came in 25.5% up on a year earlier, at US$144.4m, as sales increased by 17.4% to $673.1m.