Belgian family-owned brewing giant Brouwerij Martens has announced the acquisition of United Dutch Breweries (UDB) from the Netherlands from investment firm Gimv, thus combining Martens' production expertise with UDB’s sales acumen.
Brouwerij Martens, with a capacity of about 4 million hectoliters and over two centuries of brewing history, is Belgium’s largest independent brewery. It is known for its large-scale, low-cost, and efficient production, which enables the brewery to engage in contract and private-label brewing for various breweries and retailers, including the German discount chain Aldi (brand Karlskrone). Martens is particularly strong in Europe but has been steadily growing in markets such as North America and Asia.
UDB operates with an "asset-light" model, outsourcing production while focusing on sales, marketing, and logistics. It does not own any breweries but engages in contract brewing according to UDB’s recipes with a range of breweries in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. UDB specializes in exporting affordable premium beers.
The company traces its roots back to 1538, when a predecessor of the current company was founded in Breda. In 1671, the Oranjeboom Brewery was established in the port of Rotterdam, laying the foundation for a strong export business.
Today, UDB has a well-established presence in over 100 countries, with key markets in the Asia-Pacific region, Africa, and Europe. In addition to its headquarters in Breda, Netherlands, UDB has sales offices in Singapore and China. The company operates state-of-the-art warehouses near the ports of Rotterdam (Netherlands) and Antwerp (Belgium).
Its portfolio includes Dutch beer brands such as Oranjeboom, Royal Dutch, 3 Horses, Monastère, and Atlas. Additionally, UDB owns the German lager beer brand Weidmann, which is brewed under contract in Germany according to the German Purity Law and exported to markets such as Australia.
According to its own statements, UDB has a sales volume of over 1 million hectoliters. Originally part of Interbrew (which later became AB InBev), the business was sold in 2011 to Dutch investment firm Egeria, which in turn sold it in 2015 to private equity firm Gimv. Gimv has now decided to divest the company.
Martens, one of UDB's potential production partners, and UDB have developed a strong business relationship over the years, which laid the foundation for this transaction. The acquisition of UDB allows Martens to further solidify its presence in the global beer market, particularly in Africa and Asia, where UDB has a strong foothold. Moreover, Martens can combine its production expertise with UDB’s strong sales capabilities, securing capacity utilization for its own brewery while reducing dependence on large customers.
This acquisition comes at a pivotal moment for the beer industry, which has seen rising demand for both premium and value-driven brands. Together, Martens and UDB aim to capitalize on these trends, creating a formidable player in the international beer market. Both companies are optimistic about future growth, particularly in emerging markets where demand for quality European beer continues to rise.
Koen Bouckaert, Managing Partner Consumer & Patrick Franken, Partner Consumer, jointly declare : “Entering into a new growth phase, this transaction perfectly reflects the strategic growth ambitions of United Dutch Breweries. Leveraging the best-in-class production and supply chain capabilities of Brouwerij Martens will allow UDB to unlock the full potential from its proprietary brand portfolio and unrivalled global route to market, opening up new and attractive growth opportunities for the combined group. In addition, both companies are highly complementary, providing the combined group with a unique opportunity to unlock synergies and create value for all stakeholders, making this a perfect match.”
Tom Verhaegen, CEO United Dutch Breweries, declares: “The combination of Brouwerij Martens and UDB creates enormous opportunities for all our stakeholders, not least for our customers and employees. After all, we combine the strong commercial, branding and route to market competencies of UDB to the production and supply chain competencies of Brouwerij Martens, which are simply excellent in terms of quality, flexibility and innovation power. We look back at our journey with Gimv with gratitude and look forward to a bright future at Brouwerij Martens with great pride and enthusiasm.”
Jan Martens, Executive Director Brouwerij Martens and 8th generation of the founding family, adds : "We see the collaboration with UDB as a new milestone in the history of our family brewery. After many investments in highly advanced and sustainable beer production and filling capacity, our focus and strategy now aim to strengthen our position in global markets with profitable and strong beer brands. UDB will certainly complement our ambitions here. The 9th generation of family brewers is ready to make this new challenge a success story with all our employees in Belgium and the Netherlands."
Danny Dresselaerts, CEO Brouwerij Martens, declares : “We are extremely proud to have been able to realize this transaction together with Gimv and UDB and consider the strategic cooperation with UDB as an important milestone in the further development and strengthening of our joint global business. Moreover, with strong brands such as Oranjeboom and Royal Dutch, and a broad international sales network, UDB will give our growth ambitions special acceleration. The complementarity between the two companies offers unique opportunities to commonly create more value, and we look forward with enormous confidence to realize our ambitions together with the team of UDB.“
