Reuters: New Belgium Brewing seeking buyer

FORT COLLINS — Employee-owned New Belgium Brewing Co., the 24-year-old Fort Collins-based company known for its Fat Tire craft beer brand and its Tour de Fat benefit bicycle and entertainment events, is looking for a buyer, according to the Reuters news service.

New Belgium, the United States’ third-largest craft brewery and eighth-largest brewery of any kind, is seeking an entity that could purchase the company for more than $1 billion, according to Reuters’ sources.

A sale of New Belgium would be the latest in a string of deals in the craft-beer industry. Earlier this year, U.S. beermaker Lagunitas Brewing Co was acquired by Dutch brewing company Heineken NV, while Sculpin IPA-owner Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits was sold to Constellation Brands Inc for around $1 billion — more than 30 times its 12-month earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization, according to Reuters’ sources.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Exploring & expressing grief

Support groups and events, as well as creative therapies and professional counseling, are all ways in which Pathways supports individuals dealing with grief and loss.

New Belgium was founded by then husband and wife Jeff Lebesch and Kim Jordan.  Lebesch originally made Belgian-inspired beers in his basement, which ultimately served as the foundation for New Belgium. His wife, Kim Jordan, became New Belgium’s chief executive, and served until announcing in October that she was stepping down. Christine Perich became company president and chief operating officer.

New Belgium employs 500 people at its headquarters at 500 Linden St. in Fort Collins. The company in May completed construction of a brewery and distribution center in North Carolina.