Melbourne’s Hawkers Beer and Sydney’s White Bay Brewery have joined forces under the newly established Social Drinks Group.

“Our mission is simple: to create exceptional beverages that bring people together to enjoy the good times,” the brewers said.

“Together, Hawkers and White Bay will now operate under one umbrella, offering award-winning brews from hubs in Melbourne and Sydney.

“With two state-of-the-art breweries – Hawkers’ seven-million-litre facility in Reservoir, Melbourne and White Bay’s two-million-litre facility in Balmain, Sydney – we’re expanding our ability to bring you more of the beverages you love.

“The merger will provide Social Drinks Group with a broad reach across the country with dedicated sales, marketing, supply chain and finance teams in place to deliver outstanding service and a world-class brand portfolio.

“This is just the beginning of a new chapter for Hawkers and White Bay. We’re thrilled to take this journey together and can’t wait to share what’s next. Cheers to the future with Social Drinks Group.”

Hawkers was launched 10 years ago by Mazen Hajjar, while White Bay launched in 2020, with founders including Konvoy’s Adam Trippe-Smith.

Social Drinks Group will begin trading on 1 February 2025. The White Bay Taproom in Rozelle, on the Balmain peninsula in Sydney and the Hawkers Beer Garden in Reservoir, Melbourne will continue to operate business as usual.

Judd Michel has joined Social Drinks Group as its first CEO. Michel is veteran beverage industry executive whose previous experience includes CCA and Heineken. Michael is already flagging expansion plans for the new company.

“Social Drinks Group will target further growth via additional mergers, acquisitions and brand distribution partnerships,” he told Street Talk.