Foreign investors boost Spanish craft beer: La Virgen and La Sagra

The big brewers operating worldwide, Molson Coors and ABinvev, have invested in Spanish craft beers at the beginning of 2017. Cervezas la Sagra and Cerveza aretesanal española La Virgen, will thus be able to expand in Spain and make inroads abroad.

Canada's Molson Coors takes a stake in Cervezas La Sagra

La Sagra Beersone of the leading brewers in Spain, has reached a strategic alliance agreement with the Canadian-American brewing group Molson Coors, giving the latter a stake in the company's capital and a distribution agreement for the Blue Moon Belgian White brand, the best-selling craft beer in the world.

This agreement allows Cervezas la Sagra to gain weight in the Spanish market, commercialising Blue Moon Belgian White beers and benefiting from the experience and innovation of Molson Coors,  but still maintain management independence and the authenticity of its beers.

Molson Coors Brewing Company is an international brewer with operations in the Americas, Europe and Asia. The company has been listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for the past five years and was named a Global Beverage Sector Leader in 2012 and 2013.

Spanish giant ABInvev buys Spanish company Cervezas La Virgen

The Virgin was created in 2011 in Madrid by a group of young entrepreneurs whose aim is to "innovate and make quality beer, made with passion in the traditional style". Over the years, the brand, which employs 45 people, has experienced strong growth.

ABInbev, the world's largest brewing group with brands such as Budweiser, Corona, Stella Artois and Beck's, has moved to strengthen its craft beer business with the acquisition of Spain's La Virgen.

Last year, ABinbev merged with SABMiller, the world's largest brewer. The resulting firm produces 30% of the beer consumed worldwide, with a presence in more than 80 countries and a combined workforce of some 225,000 people. A few months later ABinbev sold for €7.3 billion the business and operations of Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) in Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Romania that were owned by SABMiller prior to its merger with the world's largest brewer.

With this agreement, ABInvev consolidates its growth plan, especially the national expansion and the possibility of entering other international markets, while maintaining the management team.

 
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