American Craft Beer The Best Craft Beer, Breweries, Bars, Brewpubs, Beer Stores, And Restaurants Serving Serious Beer.
Boston Beer’s Jim Koch toasts combined success with Dogfish Head’s Sam Calagione
It’s been a hell of a year for craft beer mergers and acquisitions…further signs that craft beer’s landscape is changing and changing fast.
And here the most notable deals of 2019…
Dogfish Head and Boston Beer Merge
On May 9th, Boston Beer’s Jim Koch and Dogfish Head’s Sam Calagione announced a $300 million merger which was also in essence a sale. The deal combines two of the industry’s most creative and independent brewers as well as some of the most well-known craft brands.
According to the announcement the merger will allow the combined company to maintain its status (at least as defined by the Brewers Association) as an independent craft brewery.
It was boldly defensive move on the part of both companies, one that better positions them against global beer conglomerates in today’s increasingly competitive craft beer environment…
Matt Tapper, Kim Jordan and Steve Fechheimer toast new partnership – New Belgium Brewing
New Belgium Sells to Kirin
In November, one of craft beer’s largest US independent craft breweries was acquired by Lion, an Australian subsidiary of Japan’s Kirin Holdings for an undisclosed sum.
This marks the first acquisition in the US by Lion and its craft division Lion Little World Beverages, however Lion’s parent company, Kirin, has a 24.5% stake in Brooklyn Brewery, which it acquired in 2016.
Pending approval by regulators and all parties involved, New Belgium Brewing, the fourth largest craft brewery in the US according to the Brewers Association, will no longer be employee-owned operation by the close of the year.
New Belgium’s headquarters will remain in Fort Collins, and CEO Steve Fechheimer will remain at the helm. Co-founder Kim Jordan will also remain in an advisory role.
Anheuser-Busch Acquires Buys Remaining Stake in the Craft Brew Alliance
In November Anheuser-Busch InBev made an unexpected U-turn after turning down a deal to acquire the rest of Craft Brew Alliance (CBA) in August, and announced the purchase of the whole company in an estimated US$321 million deal…
And the world’s largest brewer got the craft beer collective, which includes the bestselling Kona Brewing among others, for a cheaper price than if they had purchased the CBA four months ago.
Just as with the New Belgium/Kirin acquisition, this deal hasn’t closed yet…that will happen at the start of next year.
Avery Sells Controlling Stake to Mahou San Miguel
In April, Avery Brewing announced that Mahou San Miguel would purchase an additional 40 percent of the company, giving Mahou and its co-investors a total stake of 70 percent in the Boulder, Colorado-based company, which had racked up considerable debt building a new brewery.
In connection with the increased equity investment, it was announced that Mahou-owned Founders Brewing of Grand Rapids, Mich. would begin brewing its All Day IPA at Avery’s facility.
Sierra Nevada Acquires Sufferfest
Citing stated shared values, commitment to innovation, and common goals Sierra Nevada Brewing has announced that it will acquire 100 percent of Sufferfest Beer Company, the company’s first-ever acquisition last February.
With beer sales slowing and more consumers than ever opting for healthier lifestyles, Sufferfest was launched to address this emerging community with award-winning functional beer.
Founded in 2016 by Caitlin Landesberg, an athlete herself, Sufferfest offers a full-spectrum of craft beers, all of them containing naturally occurring vitamins and micronutrients like potassium-rich barley, sodium, iron, and fiber.
And the strategic acquisition is positioned to allow Sierra Nevada to tap into the growing community of health-conscious consumers…
