A Theory of Evolution

It’s been a year of intrigue, plot twists and turns no one could plausibly claim to have seen coming. The big guys continued their steady shopping adventures, scoring many flashy new outfits while quietly lamenting craft-on-craft deals, like one Tampa-based looker that went to a peer. Multimillion dollar deals begat billion dollar deals, while a half-dozen or more transactions constantly swirl in the rumor mill.

- Andy Crouch

For the biggest breweries,the playbook is becoming increasingly clear. Buy smaller breweries, let them be for some window of time until public consternation over the sale settles,then look to growth. Need a flavor of beer? ABI has it, with tap lists in corporate bars,restaurants, and performance venues increasingly looking like Carlos Brito chose them himself. Fill in the missing regional pieces, likely in southern and mountain states, and the portfolio may soon be full for this round of buying. Studying ABI’s success with Goose Island, international players ranging from Heineken to Constellation and others continue to circle crafts, making pricey strategic deals leading to a whole new vision for the future of global beer.