Anheuser-Busch InBev today announced it would acquire fast-growing hard seltzer producer Boathouse Beverage LLC., which makes and markets the SpikedSeltzer brand. A final acquisition price was not disclosed, but Boathouse co-founders Nick Shields and Dave Holmes described the deal as a 100 percent equity purchase.
Anheuser-Busch InBev has struck another high-end deal, this time purchasing the 225-year-old Belgium-based Brouwerij Bosteels. American financial news and services website TheStreet.com, citing Belgian press reports, pegged the deal at $225 million.
The U.S. Department of Justice has officially closed its investigation into Anheuser-Busch InBev’s acquisition of Devils Backbone Brewing Company, according to a statement issued today by Deputy Assistant Attorney General Juan Arteaga. Citing conditions in a previously agreed upon settlement between A-B InBev and the DOJ — one that permits the world’s largest beer company to proceed with its acquisition of SABMiller — Arteaga said the “competitive implications of ABI’s acquisition of Devils Backbone are too uncertain at this time to warrant further investigation.”
Denver’s Stem Ciders, which recently signed a distribution agreement with Breakthru Beverage for coverage throughout Colorado, has partnered with Fort Collins-based craft beer maker Odell Brewing for sales support across the state. Similar to a traditional broker relationship, the smaller Stem Ciders will gain access to Odell’s sales force as well as its inventory and customer relationship management (CRM) software programs in exchange for a fee.
After a yearlong search, Stone Brewing Company has finally identified its next chief executive. The San Diego-based craft brewery today named Dominic Engels, who most recently served as the president of POM Wonderful, as its next CEO.
Craft Brew Alliance’s long-term route to market in the U.S. — and perhaps its future ownership structure — became clearer this week after the publicly traded craft beer maker unveiled enhanced distribution and contract brewing agreements with its largest individual shareholder, Anheuser-Busch InBev.
Craft Brew Alliance and Anheuser-Busch InBev today announced a new set of commercial agreements that will give the smaller CBA guaranteed distribution via A-B’s wholesalers in the U.S. through 2028 and expanded access to a variety of international markets as well as brewing capacity at many of the larger company’s 12 brewery locations. In a joint announcement, the two companies said the new arrangements would “expand and strengthen the companies’ long-term relationship and create new growth opportunities for both companies.”
Simon Thorpe, the guy at least partially responsible for convincing Boulevard Brewing founder John McDonald and Firestone Walker co-founder David Walker to sell their businesses to Duvel Moortgat, is on his way out. I’m not sure if Simon is sitting at home right now polishing up his resume. But, much like the NBA’s Kevin Durant lottery earlier this summer, a big-time free agent creates plenty of interest in realm of Hot Stove speculation. So here’s my list of the top six franchises that might want to consider adding this big-time leader to their lineup, and why.
Simon Thorpe, the president of Duvel Moortgat USA, has resigned and will be replaced by Jeff Krum, who currently serves as Boulevard Brewing’s vice president of corporate affairs. Thorpe, who has served as the president and CEO of Duvel USA since 2009, will continue in an advisory capacity through the end of August, the company said.
John Cochran, who last month sold Terrapin Beer Company to MillerCoors, is diving headfirst back into the beer business with a new craft brewery venture in Asheville, North Carolina. Using proceeds from the sale of Terrapin, Cochran said he has purchased the assets of Altamont Brewing and will rebrand the company as UpCountry Brewing.
In this week’s Last Call: Milwaukee Brewing has announced plans to significantly expand its operations in Brew City, inking a lease agreement for 58,000 sq. ft. of space on the site of the original Pabst brewery; BrewDog reportedly plans to spend about half of the $50 million it is currently trying to crowdfund to build out a number of BrewDog-branded bars in the U.S., according to a report from restaurant briefing service Propel Info.
Remember way back in 2011 when Stone Brewing said it was planning to build a hotel on the property adjacent to its California brewery? Well today, the San Diego-area craft beer company said it has entered into a licensing agreement with Untitled Hospitality to develop 13 acres of land next to Stone’s Escondido brewing facility.
MillerCoors is hotter than a pistol: The country’s second largest beer company continued its summer-long burst of acquisition by purchasing its third craft brewery in three weeks, today announcing that Texas’ Revolver Brewing would join its Tenth and Blake craft and import division. The acquisition of Revolver comes just weeks after it announced agreements to purchase Oregon’s Hop Valley on July 29 and Georgia’s Terrapin Beer Company on July 20.
In this week’s edition of press clips: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company agrees to a 10-year partnership with the Sacramento Kings; Scottish craft beer maker BrewDog raises $1 million from more than 1,200 investors in just three days; the St. Louis Brewery moves forward with its efforts to trademark the name “Schlafly” for use in beer and Boston Beer Company launches a national television and radio ad campaign for its newest product line — Truly Spiked & Sparkling.
