Heineken takes a swig of craft brewer Lagunitas
Dutch brewer Heineken said today that it's bought a 50 per cent stake in US-based craft brewer Lagunitas.
The company hopes that the deal will help grow its presence in the expanding craft beer category.
Lagunitas, the fifth largest craft brewer in the US by volume, owns brands such the popular India pale ale Lagunitas IPA and pale wheat ale Little Sumpin' Sumpin'.
Read more: SABMiller buys London-based craft brewer Meantime
But Heineken isn't the only brewer muscling in on this popular sector – earlier this year SABMiller snapped up London-based craft brewer Meantime.
"We are very excited to partner with Lagunitas. We recognise and respect the tremendous success of Tony and his team in building one of the great U.S. craft beer brands," Jean-François van Boxmeer, chief executive of Heineken, said.
"We look forward to that same team partnering with us to expand Lagunitas globally, so it can reach parts of the world that other craft beer brands have not."