Waterloo Brewing LTD. (formerly the Brick Brewing Co.) is a brewery based in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, with several divisions. The company is reportedly the largest Canadian-owned brewer in the province, and it was also Ontario's first modern craft brewery.[1][2]
Waterloo's most successful brand is the Laker series. It also operates LandShark Lager Canada and Waterloo Brewing; the latter is their craft brewing division.[3] In mid-2019, the company announced that it would change the corporate name from Brick to Waterloo Brewing Ltd.[4]
In December 2022, the company announced that it was being acquired by Carlsberg Group.[5] On March 7, 2023, Carlsberg completed the acquisition of Waterloo Brewing through its Canadian subsidiary.[6][7]
Overview
The company's administration currently consists of president and CEO George Croft and COO Russell Tabata. Founder Jim Brickman resigned in 2008.[8]
In the early 1990s, Waterloo briefly produced Pride Lager, Canada's first beer marketed specifically to gay consumers.[9] Pride Lager was not a new product, however, but simply one of the company's existing brews bottled and sold under an alternate label.[9]
In January 2017, Waterloo put its Formosa Springs Brewery in Formosa, Ontario, up for sale; that resulted in the re-opening of the 40,000 square foot plant after the new owner was interested in retaining the facility. In addition to the Formosa brand, Waterloo also sold the Red Baron lines.[10]
Waterloo planned to consolidate its operations in Kitchener and expand the plant, at an estimated cost of $4 million.[11][12]
In late 2018, the company announced a plan to invest $9.6 million in a tasting room, small-batch brewhouse, expanded warehouse and production facility and an expanded retail store at its Bingemans Centre Drive operation.
This is said to bring its investment to nearly $30 million CAD in five years.
[13]
After all of the projects are completed, the company's investment over the previous six years will have totaled about $45 million.[4]
Bernard, Kevin (January 6, 2017). "Historic Formosa Brewery Closing". 560 CFOS Radio. Bayshore Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2017. Kitchener-Waterloo's Brick Brewing is putting its 146 year old Formosa site up for sale.
Davis, Brent (November 19, 2018). "Brick Brewing investing $9.6 million in Kitchener brewery". Record. Torstar. Retrieved January 27, 2017. The Kitchener-based company is adding a tasting room, small-batch brewhouse and a larger retail store at its Bingemans Centre Drive operation.
