It is no secret in the beer business anymore:  On the 29th of March was the „Vereinigung der deutschen Bierkonsumenten (German Beer Consumers Union - GBCU)“ founded in the famous beer town Bamberg. Many brewers and institutions already have joined the new community which is already part of the European Beer Consumers Union (EBCU). But the Focus of the Germany Beer Consumers Union will of course ...

Amsterdam microbrewery the latest in a line of recent partial acquisitions. Beer drinkers of the Netherlands can't help but notice the use Heineken has made of its stakes in formerly independent breweries. Heineken properties and joint ventures like Lagunitas and Beavertown have become more commonplace on bars where craft beer is part of the offer. The Dutch giant has now turned its eye...

Brewer admits infringing competition rules. The European Commission has fined AB InBev €200m for abusing its dominant market position in Belgium. The investigation began in June 2016 when it was discovered that the company had changed the text on Jupiler beer sold in the Netherlands and France, where it's sold relatively cheaply, to Dutch or French alone. This restricted the extent to ...

Japanese multinational Kirin acquires Yorkshire micro via Australian subsidiary Independent British breweries continue to attract attention from acquisitive foreign brewers, and Magic Rock of Huddersfield is the latest target. Kirin's subsidiary Lion announced today that they have acquired 100% of the brewery for an undisclosed sum. Less than a year ago, Kirin purchased London brewery Four...

"Budweiser Brewing Group UK & I" is the new name for AB InBev in the UK and Ireland. This subsidiary of the world's largest brewing company, headquartered in Leuven, owns two large industrial breweries in Great Britain where it brews Budweiser, Stella Artois, Boddington's and other subsidiary brands. It also owns the Camden Town Brewery in north London, and a Goose Island brewpub in the e...

Brewers of Bavaria lager had previously owned 35% of Dutch microbrewery Brouwerij De Molen of Bodegraven in Zuid Holland announced today that it has passed complete ownership of the company to Swinkels Family Brewers, the Dutch giant formerly known as Bavaria. Swinkels had owned 35% of the company since 2015, an announcement De Molen made in 2016. In the statement, De Molen said the move was...

Japanese multinational acquires its second London brewery, for £250m. London brewer Fuller, Smith & Turner announced today that it was preparing to sell its production and wholesaling operations, including the Griffin Brewery, to Asahi. The company will retain its pub estate and will establish a "strategic alliance" with Asahi to ensure that pubs remain stocked with Fuller's beers. Included...

Madrid brewery sells 51% to Dutch multinational Heineken's Spanish operation has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Madrid's La Cibeles craft brewery. This marks the latest in a long history of Heineken buying roughly half of formerly independent brewing companies, going back to Paulaner in 2002 (since reduced to 30%), Lagunitas in 2015 (since increased to 100%), Brixton in 2017 a...

Regional Browar Namysłów purchased for €117m Heineken's Polish operation, Grupa Żywiec, has moved to increase its share of Browar Namysłów, a brewery headquartered in western Poland, near Wrocław. The Dutch multinational already controlled 60% of the company but is now spending zl500m to take total ownership. Namysłów brands Braniewo and Zamkowe will now take their place alongside Żywiec, Warka...

Megabrewer slashes payout to shareholders Last week, AB InBev announced it would be cutting the dividend paid to its shareholders by 50% this year, a move which caused the already poorly-performing stock to instantly drop a further 10% in value. The company is still carrying a debt of $109 billion following its acquisition of SAB Miller in 2016, and reducing the dividend is one way in which the...