Well, it has happened again. Another beloved craft brewery has signed the papers and turned itself over to another business- one that has an established track record for snatching up successful craft operations.
Funky Buddha Brewery, one of the best craft breweries in South Florida, is now part of Constellation Brands. The Boca Raton, Florida brewery was first opened in 2010 by husband and wife team Ryan and Giani Sentz and it grew quickly in a relatively short time. The present brewery, located in Oakland Parks Culinary Arts District, boasts 54,000 square feet of space and has a brewing capacity of 45,000 barrels, making it the largest craft brewery in South Florida. Locals and tourists alike love the place, and Great Beer Now can attest to its appeal, having visited a few years back. With its proven record of success, Funky Buddha was a prime takeover target and Head Brewer and President Ryan Sentz is pleased with the deal because he feels the two businesses share a common business philosophy.
“We chose to partner with Constellation because we saw an alignment in vision and felt they gave us the greatest opportunity for growth and development,” said Sentz. “Constellation and Funky Buddha share a lot of the same ideals and passion for philanthropy, entrepreneurship and the art of craft beer. At the end of the day, we just really like the people we have met within the organization, each of whom share our dedication to making outstanding beer.”
Paul Hetterich, Constellation Brands Executive Vice President and President of the Beer Division, sees many great things ahead for Funky Buddha now that Constellation Brands is at the helm.
“Adding a fantastic regional brand such as Funky Buddha to our craft beer portfolio, along with Ballast Point, advances our strategy in continuing to lead the high-end beer segment,” said Hetterich. “The Sentz family has created a culture of bold creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. Those qualities, combined with our beer division’s market reach, distributor partnerships, consumer insights, and our craft expertise within Ballast Point, will help nurture and develop Funky Buddha’s distinctive brand.”
Funky Buddha is on pace to produce 35,000 barrels of beer in 2017, a significant gain compared to the 27,000 barrels of beer produced in 2016. The taproom is the highest volume taproom in the state of Florida, according to the South Florida Business Journal. And with the financial clout and business expertise of Constellation Brands, Funky Buddha will likely continue its upward trajectory in the months and years ahead.
Funky Buddha now joins Ballast Point and a slew of non- craft brands like Corona, Pacifica Clara, and Modelo Especial in the Constellation Brands beer portfolio. Funky Buddha’s daily operations, standards for brewing, and other things will remain as is, but the fact that another beloved craft brewery is now part of corporate America is not going to sit well with locals, many of whom are likely to voice their displeasure and swear off Funky Buddha for good once they hear the news.
No terms of the deal were disclosed.
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