Craft Brewer Saint Archer Joins MillerCoors
CHICAGO — MillerCoors LLC is growing its Tenth and Blake craft and import division with the acquisition of a majority interest in Saint Archer Brewing Co.
The transaction is expected to complete in October. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Saint Archer brews a range of ales including Blonde Ale, IPA, White Ale and Pale Ale. The San Diego-based brewing company expects to sell 35,000 barrels of beer in 2015, up more than 100 percent over 2014, making it one of the fastest-growing breweries in California.
Tenth and Blake plans to support its continued growth under the ongoing leadership of Josh Landan, Saint Archer co-founder and president.
"We have always wanted to get great beer into more people's hands," Landan said. "We were fortunate that brewers big and small were interested in partnering with us, but Tenth and Blake was the clear choice.
"Tenth and Blake shares our passion for putting great beer first. Joining Tenth and Blake allows us to keep doing what we love right here in San Diego, but now with more resources to innovate and grow. With Tenth and Blake's help, we hope to one day be a national brand," he added.
Saint Archer's management and their team will continue to brew, package, ship and sell Saint Archer's portfolio of brands. It will be run as a separate business unit of Tenth and Blake.
"We're really excited about our partnership with Saint Archer," said Scott Whitley, president and CEO of Tenth and Blake. "Saint Archer is consistent with our strategy of building our high-end portfolio while driving topline growth. Josh and his team represent everything we look for in a partner. Saint Archer brews award-winning ales across a variety of styles that are complementary to our current portfolio — including some outstanding [India Pale Ales]. We're excited at the prospect of working together to support the continued success of Saint Archer."
Saint Archer won two gold medals at the 2014 San Diego International Beer Festival and a gold medal at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival.
Saint Archer joins other leading crafts in the Tenth and Blake portfolio, including Blue Moon Brewing Co., Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., Crispin Cider Co. and a minority equity stake in Terrapin Beer Co.
The acquisition comes just days after Heineken N.V. announced it was acquiring a 50-percent shareholding in the Lagunitas Brewing Co., the fifth largest craft brewer in the United States by volume, as CSNews Online previously reported.
That transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter.