Molson Coors buys Pardubický Pivovar and Hop Stuff Brewery

Molson Coors, the parent company of MillerCoors, has acquired stakes in Pardubický Pivovar in the Czech Republic and Hop Stuff Brewery in the UK as part of a continuing strategy to expand its beer portfolio.  

In June, Molson Coors completed the acquisition of a majority stake Pardubický Pivovar, which makes a roster of brands including Pernštejn, Taxis and Porter. The deal also includes Pardubický’s Slovakian distribution company.

Under terms of the deal, in which Molson Coors subsidiary Staropramen took an 89% stake in the brewery, Pardubický will remain a separate legal entity managed by Petra Chovancova, its former senior brand manager of core brands.

Molson Coors plans to double to brewery’s production within a decade, said Simon Cox, CEO of Molson Coors Europe, and Petr Kovařík, Molson Coors Europe’s managing director of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, in a recent note to employees.

“Our goal is to layer on a strong craft portfolio to our current portfolio of traditional brands such as Staropramen, giving us a scaled operation with an enriched portfolio of regional and new-wave craft brands and new capabilities built into our current business,” Cox and Kovařík said in the note.

“We all believe that it is an important step and a milestone in the history of Czech brewing. (The deal) allows us to expand our offer by excellent, high-quality and interesting beers not only for local but also for our European operations.”

Earlier this month, Molson Coors completed a brand and asset purchase of London-based Hop Stuff Brewery and its three taprooms.

Founded in 2013 by James Yeomans, Hop Stuff operates a craft brewery in Woolwich, two taprooms in London and one in Ashford.

Hop Stuff sells draft and packaged beer and focuses mostly on hop-forward varieties, such as IPAs, pale ales and hazy beers. Financed in part through crowdfunding, the brewery fell into financial trouble and entered into administration, in which it needed to find a buyer for its assets or risk liquidation.  

“When we found out Hop Stuff Brewery was under threat, after meeting James and tasting these exceptional beers, we felt its beers and the ethos James had started were too good not to exist and would be a real asset to our business,” said Phil Whitehead, managing director of Molson Coors’ UK and Ireland businesses in a note to employees.

MillerCoors said it has no immediate plans to bring brands from either brewery to the US.