UK: BrewDog acquires Hawkes

BrewDog, the UK-based beer firm, is expanding into the cider space with the acquisition of London producer Hawkes. Positioned as “saviours of cider”, Hawkes markets a range of cider under the Urban Orchard, Soul Trader and Elephants on Ice, as well as an alcoholic ginger beer and a cider / beer hybrid under the Hawkes […]
France: Brasserie Goudale to double production capacity

Brasserie Goudale, a French beermaker, is set to more than double its production capacity through a €45 million ($56 million) investment, according to a report in Usine Nouvelle. The brewer is investing the funds at its facility in Arques in the Pas de Calais region of France, less than two years after first opening the […]
Mexico: Constellation Brands to increase capacity at Obregon brewery

Constellation Brands, the US-based alcoholic drinks firm, is to invest $900 million to upgrade capacity at its Obregon brewery in Mexico, according to a report in Just Drinks. Constellation Brands bought the plant from AB InBev subsidiary Grupo Modelo at the end of 2016 with the aim of enhancing its ability to serve its largest […]
Germany: Henkell takes majority stake in Freixenet

Henkell, the German subsidiary of the Dr. Oetker group specializing in wines and spirits, has announced the acquisition of 50.67% of the shares Spanish firm Freixenet, in a move that is claimed will create the world’s leading sparkling wine group. Henkell said the companies respective portfolios and international presence would “complement each other perfectly”. “While Freixenet stands […]
Portugal: Font Salem announces €40 million factory investment

Font Salem, the Spanish leader in private label products and co-packing, has announced that it intends to invest €40 million ($49.3 million) over the next three years to expand its plant in Santarem, Portugal. Part of Grupo Damm, Font Salem is one of the biggest beer manufacturers in Spain, as well as producing a variety […]
UK: Halewood acquires rum brand Dead Man’s Fingers

Halewood, a UK wine and spirits specialist, has announced the acquisition of spiced rum brand Dead Man’s Fingers from Cornwall-based Rum & Crab Shack. The deal takes Halewood’s premium rum portfolio to four brands. The firm also markets Rum Sixty-Six, Liverpool Rum and Sadler’s Peaky Blinder Spiced Rum. Dead Man’s Fingers was created in 2015 […]
India: Carlsberg to establish a new brewery in Karnataka

The Indian arm of global beer giant Carlsberg has announced that it has set up a new brewery in the state of Karnataka to further strengthen its capacity in the southern region of India. The new brewery will take Carlsberg’s total production facilities in India to eight. The “state-of-the-art brewery” is described as extending over […]
USA: Bacardi to acquire Patron tequila

Bacardi, the world’s largest privately-held spirits company, has announced that it is to acquire 100% of tequila firm Patron for an enterprise value of $5.1 billion. Bacardi had previously acquired a minority stake in Patron in 2008. The deal is set to make Bacardi the number one spirits player in the super-premium segment in the US, […]
USA: Constellation Brands takes majority stake in Copper & Kings

Constellation Brands, the leading wine, beer and spirits firm, has announced that it is taking a majority stake in US-based craft distiller Copper & Kings. Based in Louisville, KY, Copper & Kings produces a range of “untraditional, non-derivative” spirits including apple and grape brandies, absinthe, gin and liqueurs that are said to be non-chill filtered with […]
UK: Molson Coors acquires cider firm Aspall

Molson Coors, the US-based beer giant, has announced that it is to acquire UK cider firm Aspall for an undisclosed sum. Founded in 1728, Suffolk-based Aspall is an established brand of cider and cider vinegars whose brand portfolio includes Premium Cru Cyder, Aspall Cyder, Clement’s Four, Cyderkyn and Imperial Vintage. Molson Coors’ said that Aspall’s “high-quality portfolio […]