Duvel Moortgat increased its minority stake in Italian brewery Birrificio del Ducato to 70 %. The Belgian brewery, known for Vedett, has been part of the brewery near Parma since 2016.
10 breweries in portfolio
Duvel aims to bring Birrificio del Ducato’s craft beers to an international audience thanks to this acquisition. No acquisition fee was disclosed. “Our generation-long experience will support Birrificio del Ducato and together, we will make sure these craft beers will be tasted all across the world”, CEO Michel Moortgat said.
The founders of the Italian craft brewer, Manuel Piccoli and Giovanni Campari, will stay on and lead the brewery. Even though there were other interested parties, both said they specifically chose Duvel Moortgat: Duvel never “proposed to alter our course contrary to our attitude regarding beer production, brand positioning and commercial approach.”
Adding Birrificio del Ducato, Duvel Moortgat currently has ten breweries: Brasserie d’Achouffe in Houffalize, Brouwerij De Koninck in Antwerpen, Brouwerij Liefmans in Oudenaarde, Brouwerij Bernard in Czechia, Brewery Ommegang in New York , Boulevard Brewing Company in Kansas City, Firestone Walker in California, Brouwerij ’t IJ in Amsterdam and now Birrificio del Ducato in Italy.