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Champion Breweries Plc has partnered with Bature Brewery to produce and distribute three of the latter’s craft beer brands across Nigeria, in a deal that could lead to an outright acquisition of the brands.
Under the agreement signed with Thistlerock Enterprises Limited, owner of Bature Brewery, Champion Breweries will manufacture, package and distribute Lagos Lager, Black Gold Stout and Harmattan Haze from its brewery in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The partnership will enable Bature to expand beyond its existing Lagos market by tapping into Champion Breweries’ nationwide distribution network.
Champion will initially manufacture and distribute the beers under a brand licensing arrangement, while Bature retains ownership and control of product development, brand strategy and consumer engagement. Bature will also continue to serve its hospitality customers in Lagos directly.
The agreement also gives Champion Breweries the option to acquire the three brands, including their trademarks, recipes and goodwill, once annual sales reach 40,000 hectolitres. The acquisition will be based on an agreed valuation linked to sales performance and will require relevant corporate and regulatory approvals.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Champion Breweries, Malolan Sampath, said the partnership would help the company expand its beverage business and take distinctive Nigerian brands to more consumers.
He said Bature had established a strong reputation for quality, creativity and innovation, adding that combining its brands with Champion’s manufacturing and distribution capabilities would create opportunities for growth.
According to him, the partnership reflects the company’s confidence in the long-term prospects of Nigeria’s beverage industry.
Bature Brewery’s Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Conroy, said the agreement would give more Nigerians access to its products while allowing the company to maintain the creativity and originality behind its brands.
He said the brewery, founded in 2017, had built a community around its craft beers in Lagos and was looking forward to reaching a wider market through the partnership.
The nationwide rollout will take place in phases, beginning with Lagos Lager, which is expected to launch at the Calabar Festival in December 2026.
Harmattan Haze is scheduled to follow in the first quarter of 2027, while Black Gold Stout will be introduced later in the year.
Bature’s products have received international recognition, with Black Gold Stout winning gold at the 2021 African Beer Cup, while Lagos Lager earned a silver award at the 2022 World Beer Awards.
