Budweiser in BBC? Bogota Beer Company Acquired By Inbev’s Ambev Unit
Colombia’s largest chain of brew pubs, Bogota Beer Company (BBC), has been sold to Ambev, the Brasil based subsidiary of global beer and beverage giant Anheuser-Busch Inbev, owner of brands such as Budweiser, Corona, Skol, and Stella Artois. The transaction was led by Colombian private equity firm Tribeca, who originally took a 40% stake in the brewer and bar operator in 2013. Law firm Holland & Knight handled the transaction.
Since then, the number of BBC locations grew from 13 to 27, and the company opened a 4.7 million gallon brewery in Tocancipa, north of Bogotá; 14 times the previous capacity. The company started strictly in Bogotá, but has since expanded into Medellin, Barranquilla, Cartagena, and Santa Marta, and also offers its brands of beer through retail channels and some other restaurants. Sales increased by 61% between 2012 and 2014.