Dive Brief:
- Belgium's Duvel Moortgat Brewery on Thursday announced that it would buy the Boulevard Brewing Company in Kansas City, Mo., in a deal reportedly worth more than $100 million.
- The craft brewery acquisition comes as Europe's "consumers are getting more and more interested in American craft beers," according to Michel Moortgat, one of Duvel's co-owners.
- Duvel will gain Boulevard's brew list, which includes 80-Acre Hoppy Wheat Beer and Dark Truth Stout, and plans to push them them Europe, as well as China and Japan.
Dive Insight:
The New York Times reports that Boulevard is currently the 12th-largest craft brewer in the U.S. and should get out about 180,000 barrels for the current year. Craft beer has come a long way in recent years. Big players such as AB InBev and SABMiller know this, and it's why you've seen acquisitions and beer launches from them that are geared to compete in the craft beer market.
There good news here for America's independent brewers, however, whether they plan on being acquired or not. People with experience believe in U.S. craft brews' prospects overseas.