Anheuser-Busch, the world’s largest beer maker, has sold-off 8 top craft beer, cider, and energy drink brands to Tilray Brands Inc. Top Oregon/Pacific northwest brands 10 Barrel Brewing, Widmer Brothers, Redhook Brewery, and Square Mile Cider, are part of the transaction which also includes AB/InBev’s blue moon clone Shock Top, as well as Breckenridge Brewery, Blue Point Brewing, and HiBall Energy. A press release states: The transaction includes current employees, breweries and brewpubs associated with these brands. The purchase price will be paid in all cash and the transaction is expected to close in 2023. Once the deal has closed, it is expected to position Tilray as the 5th largest “craft” brewer in the U.S. with 5% craft market share though the brands do not meet the Brewers Association’s definition of small or craft brewers.
This follows warning signs that big beer has been abandoning the craft beer market that they sought to control only a decade ago. Recently, 10 Barrel Brewing was hit with significant layoffs in sales, marketing, and production, that in hindsight we should have seen as warning signs of a potential sale.
In 2020, Anheuser-Busch acquired Craft Brew Alliance which comprises the family of brands Widmer Brothers, RedHook, Square Mile Cider, Omission gluten-reduced beers, and Kona Brewing among others. At the time, it was fiercely debated whether AB/InBev wanted any of them other than the rising stock of Kona Brewing. By selling off Widmer, RedHook, and Square Mile (but not Kona), we have the answer...
