Labatt Blue is owned by Labatt USA in the US, while outside of the US it is owned by Labatt Brewing Company, which is a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch In-Bev.
Launched: 1951
Country of origin: Canada
Industry: Alcoholic Beverages
Owner: Labatt USA (In the United States) and Labatt Brewing Company (Outside the United States)
Current Ownership
The Labatt Blue brand is owned by separate companies inside and outside of the US. This was due to the merger of Labatt’s parent company InBev with Anheuser Busch, and was mandated by the U.S. Department of Justice for the sake of competition in the US beer market.
This means that Labatt Brewing Company owns the brand worldwide, while Labatt USA, which was acquired by FIFCO USA, owns the rights in the United States.
Labatt USA
Labatt USA was sold off in 2009, and produces Labatt Blue in the United States on license from Labatt Brewing Company. This was a move that was forced because the U.S. Department of Justice feared that the merger between Anheuser-Busch and InBev would cause their market share to be too large, and thus it was sold.
Labatt Brewing Company
As mentioned, outside of the United States, Labatt Brewing Company is still the company producing Labatt Blue. Labatt Brewing Company is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev, and operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary.
Labatt Blue Ownership History
- 1847: John Labatt founded Labatt Brewing Company in London, Ontario, Canada.
- 1950s-1990s: Labatt remained an independent company, becoming one of Canada’s largest brewers.
- 1995: Labatt was acquired by the Belgian multinational brewery Interbrew (which later became part of InBev, and then Anheuser-Busch InBev).
- 2009: Anheuser-Busch InBev sold Labatt’s U.S. operations to North American Breweries, a part of KPS Capital Partners, to comply with antitrust regulations.
- 2012: North American Breweries, including the U.S. rights to Labatt, was acquired by Cerveceria Costa Rica, a subsidiary of Florida Ice & Farm Co. (FIFCO).
Labatt Blue Production
Labatt Blue is brewed both in Canada and the United States. In Canada, its production is primarily based in London, Ontario, at the Labatt Brewing Company, which was founded by John Labatt in 1847. In the United States, production of Labatt Blue is licensed to FIFCO USA and mainly brewed at the Genesee Brewery, located in Rochester, New York..