Goose Island Is Acquired by Anheuser-Busch

On May 1, 2011, Anheuser-Busch completed its acquisition of Chicago-based Goose Island Beer Company, legally organized as Fulton Street Brewery LLC. The agreement had been announced on March 28. Anheuser-Busch acquired the 58 percent stake held by Goose Island’s founders and other investors for $22.5 million and arranged to acquire the remaining 42 percent held by Craft Brewers Alliance for $16.3 million, valuing the transaction at approximately $38.8 million before additional consideration. The sale transferred Goose Island from independent Chicago ownership into Anheuser-Busch InBev, one of the world’s largest brewing groups. The deal became an important early example of a major global brewer acquiring a prominent American craft brewery and provided Goose Island with additional capital, production capacity, and access to wider national and international distribution.