Four breweries have planned to combine and move to a single headquarter in New Orleans. Faubourg Brewing Co., a New Orleans-based brewery, has merged with three breweries that are owned by an Alabama private equity firm. The goal of the merger is to “build a regional craft beer powerhouse.”
The Faubourg Brewery in New Orleans is owned by Tom and Gayle Benson and will be the new headquarters. The Benson Group and Wiregrass Equity Partners of Montgomery who own craft breweries in the Carolinas and Florida will relocate there. The deal will be a 50/50 partnership and will also include future mergers and investments made by the Benson Group.
“Our goal is to help New Orleans become as well known for its beer as it is for its cuisine and to see the local craft beer industry continue to grow and create quality jobs,” said Gayle Benson in a prepared statement. “Our partnership with Made By The Water allows us to grow the Faubourg brand, and bring in a partner that is a leader in building craft beer brands.”
The Bensons purchased Faubourg in 2017 which was called the Dixie Brewing Company. Dixie was originally founded in 1907 but it was shut down because of Hurricane Katrina. The huge facility, 275,000 square feet is located at the junction of Interstate 10 and the Industrial Canal on a 15-acre site.
Combining the companies into this one brewery will make this the 46th-largest craft brewer in the United States. “This is not just a merger,” said Ben Hales, chief operating officer of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans. “We’re all doubling down and making additional investments, and not just in the Made By The Water headquarters but in other breweries that are a cultural fit for us over the coming years.”
“New Orleans and its culture and history is an ideal base for us to build on that,” Alexi Sekmakas, CEO of Made By The Water said.
