HEINEKEN ACQUIRES LAGUNITAS

LAGUNITAS IS NOW a full member of the Heineken family.  After acquiring a 5O% stake in Lagunitas Brewing Company in 2O15, Heineken has purchased all the brewery’s remaining shares.  To maintain the Lagunitas culture and spirit, the company will continue to operate as an independent entity within Heineken and will report within the brewer’s Americas Region.  Tony Magee, the founder of Lagunitas, will remain active as Executive Chairman of the company and will be supported by his current management team.  In addition, he will take a leading advisory role to Heineken’s Executive Team on the global and local craft strategy.  Since the 2O15 initial acquisition, Lagunitas has continued to outperform the US beer market where craft now represents about 11% of total volume.  Lagunitas is the market leader in the IPA segment, the fastest growing sub-segment within craft, and sold over 1 million hectolitres in 2O16.  In addition, Heineken has helped to expand Lagunitas’ international presence, including entry into new markets such as France, Mexico, Italy and Spain, and extended the brand’s availability in markets including the UK, Canada, Netherlands, Sweden and Japan.  Following this transaction the export of Lagunitas will be accelerated to many more markets around the world.