Mergers & Acquisitions

Less than 24 hours after reports began circulating of a potential deal, Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) is distancing itself from a proposed acquisition of Bang Energy.

As the sale of Modern Times to Maui Brewing inches closer, the San Diego craft brewery has provided notice of plans to lay off more than 120 workers in early October. However, many of the affected employees are expected to be rehired by the Hawaii-headquartered acquirer of Modern Times once the sale closes in the fall.

Barrel Labs, the newly formed parent company of DTC customizable beverage brand ELIQS, announced on Wednesday it has closed a $5.7 million seed round that will support its expansion into three business platforms intended to help it become a “customization platform for the entire beverage industry.”

Haus, a California-based maker of low-ABV aperitifs, is winding down its business and seeking a buyer after the lead investor in its Series A round dropped out during the closing process, leaving the company without the necessary cash on hand to continue operations.

Minneapolis-based Finnegans Brew Co. has struck a deal to acquire non-alcoholic craft brewer Hairless Dog Brewing Company.

Maui Brewing had accepted defeat and was ready to move on in June when BX MT BAMF LLC – an affiliate of Anaheim, California-based Brewery X – was named the winning bidder in the auction of San Diego’s Modern Times Beer, Maui CEO Garrett Marrero told Brewbound.

After weeks of anticipation, Maui Brewing is officially moving forward with its acquisition of San Diego’s Modern Times Beer.

Multi-state Pacific Northwest wholesalers Craig Stein Beverage (CSB) and the Odom Corporation have announced an impending merger of their businesses in parts of Washington, Idaho and Oregon. The deal, announced last week, will combine Odom’s territory in eastern Washington and northern Idaho with CSB’s territory in southern Idaho, eastern Oregon and southwestern Washington.

Anheuser-Busch InBev has struck a deal to sell its Oakland, California-based wholly owned distributor to two independent wholesalers, Markstein Sales Company and Matagrano, Inc.

The sale of Modern Times took another turn Thursday with the ultimate acquirer of the San Diego brewery still in question.

The Brewbound team discusses the pending sale of Stone Brewing to Sapporo and the auction sale of Modern Times to an affiliate of Brewery X. This week’s featured guest is Courtney Simmons, diversity, equity and inclusion director for New Belgium and Bell’s.

Another craft brewery is exploring a potential sale of the company. Melvin Brewing announced today it is seeking “a strategic partner” to “support and assist with current growth initiatives,” a process that could lead to the sale of the Alpine, Wyoming-based craft brewery.

In a nearly 2,500-word missive that opened with quotes from Metallica and Roman poet Heraclitus, Stone Brewing co-founder Greg Koch – one of the craft beer industry’s staunchest advocates for independence – reflected on what the sale of his company to Japanese brewing giant Sapporo means for his future… without ever typing the word “Sapporo.”

Sapporo’s acquisition of San Diego-based Stone Brewing Company will support a large expansion of the Japanese beer maker’s U.S. beer sales and production, according to a supplementary explanatory materials document filed by Sapporo Holdings.