Martens Brewery Acquires United Dutch Breweries with an Eye on Further Joint Global Expansion

Based on a shared vision of brewing craftsmanship, innovation, and sustainability, the Belgian family-owned company Martens Brewery has acquired the Dutch United Dutch Breweries from Gimv and its management. The high degree of complementarity is expected to enable both companies to enhance each other’s future growth potential.

With a brewing history dating back to 1538, United Dutch Breweries (UDB) was one of the first companies to export iconic Dutch beers worldwide. In close collaboration with its partners, UDB has developed an attractive portfolio of affordable premium beer brands, which are shipped to all corners of the globe, with a presence in more than 100 markets worldwide.

Since Gimv Consumer's investment in 2015, UDB has evolved from a predominantly trade- and volume-focused company into a more focused, innovative, and growth-driven business. In 2023, UDB successfully launched its ‘Easy Brewing System’ in West Africa, an innovative and sustainable way to unlock local beer markets globally.

Martens Brewery, founded in 1758, is the largest family brewery in Belgium, located in Bocholt, Limburg. The company is part of Belgium’s rich brewing history and is renowned for its craftsmanship and passion for brewing. With a state-of-the-art brewery in terms of sustainability and efficiency, Martens Brewery produces and sells more than 4 million hectoliters of beer in more than 100 countries worldwide.

Koen Bouckaert, Managing Partner Consumer, and Patrick Franken, Partner Consumer, jointly state: “On the eve of a new growth phase, this transaction reflects United Dutch Breweries’ growth ambitions. By leveraging the best-in-class production and supply chain capabilities of Martens Brewery, UDB can fully capitalize on its own brand portfolio and unique global market access, creating new and attractive growth opportunities for the combined group. Furthermore, both companies are highly complementary, offering a unique opportunity to unlock synergies and create value for all stakeholders, making this a perfect match.”

Tom Verhaegen, CEO of United Dutch Breweries, states: "The combination of UDB and Martens Brewery creates enormous opportunities for all our stakeholders, not least for our customers and employees. We are adding UDB’s strong commercial, branding, and route-to-market competencies to Martens Brewery’s production and supply chain capabilities, which are truly excellent in terms of quality, flexibility, and innovation. We look back with gratitude on our years with Gimv and look forward with great enthusiasm and pride to a bright future with Martens Brewery."

Jan Martens, Director of Martens Brewery and the 8th generation of the Martens family, adds: “We see the partnership with UDB as a new milestone in the history of our family brewery. After many investments in highly advanced and sustainable beer production and bottling capacity, our focus and strategy are now geared toward strengthening our position in global markets with profitable and strong beer brands. UDB will certainly complement our ambitions in this regard. The 9th generation of family brewers is ready, along with all our employees in Belgium and the Netherlands, to turn this new challenge into a success story.”

Danny Dresselaerts, CEO of Martens Brewery, adds: “We are very proud to have realized this transaction together with Gimv and UDB, and we view the strategic partnership with UDB as a key milestone in the further development and strengthening of our joint global business. Furthermore, UDB, with strong brands such as Oranjeboom and Royal Dutch and an extensive international sales network, will significantly accelerate our growth ambitions. The complementarity between both companies also offers unique opportunities to create more value, and we look forward with great confidence to realizing these ambitions together with the UDB team.”