USA – Anheuser-Busch, a wholly owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev has acquired American alcohol and canned cocktail maker, Cutwater Spirits for an undisclosed sum.
Cutwater Spirits joins the company wide Beyond Beer portfolio with a range of canned cocktails, whiskey, Vodka, gin, rum, liqueur and mixers.
Cutwater, founded in 2016, is a leader in the premium ready-to-enjoy cocktail market with its high-quality ingredients, transparent packaging and innovative combinations.
It has seven premium mixers, 14 canned cocktails and 16 types of spirits encompassing variations of whiskey, vodka, gin and rum.
The San Diego based company adds a variety of brands to Anheuser-Busch’s Beyond Beer range which consists of Ritas, Spiked Seltzer, Babe Rose and HiBall.
“We’re thrilled to have found a partner that understands our vision for Cutwater Spirits and will give us the tools and resources to grow and thrive.
We’re excited to join Anheuser-Busch and work with the team there to bring our spirits and canned cocktails to the world,” said Yuseff Cherney, Cutwater Spirits Founder.
Cutwater Spirits operates out a 50,000 square foot production facility and distributes to 34 states, highlighting its possible growth potential in this category.
According to the terms of the transaction, the company will continue to be led by Yuseff Cherney, Earl Kight, and other Senior-level Managers.
It is set to benefit from Anheuser-Busch’s expertise in logistics & distribution, brand-building and packaging to scale the brand even faster.
“We’re excited to welcome the Cutwater Spirits team to the Anheuser-Busch family.
We have tremendous respect for the brand that Cutwater Spirits has created and cultivated in just a few years and look forward to working with them to expand their premium canned cocktails to consumers across the U.S.,” said Marina Hahn, New Business Co-Founder, Anheuser-Busch.
Originally founded in 2007 as Ballast Point Spirits, and rebranded in 2016 as Cutwater Spirits, the firm pioneered a new phase of the ready-to-drink canned cocktail category in 2015 when it began mixing high-quality spirits and other ingredients then packaging them into cans.
The acquisition of Cutwater Spirits by Anheuser-Busch is said to be the beer giant’s first foray into the spirits world.