Tilray Brands has acquired BrewDog’s Australian brewing and production facility in Brisbane, along with its portfolio of owned and franchised BrewDog bars.

The acquisition by the US beverage and medical cannabis company includes two owned BrewDog bar locations in Brisbane — DogTap Brisbane and BrewDog Fortitude Valley, as well as three franchised BrewDog locations in Pentridge (Victoria), South Eveleigh (New South Wales), and Perth (Western Australia).

Tilray Brands Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Irwin D. Simon said: “The acquisition of BrewDog’s profitable Australian brewery operations and flagship bars represents another important milestone in advancing Tilray’s global beverage and consumer products strategy.

“Australia is a highly attractive craft beer market with a strong beer culture and serves as a strategic gateway to the rapidly growing Asia-Pacific region.

“Together with our recently announced acquisition of BrewDog’s profitable UK operations, this transaction further expands Tilray’s international brewing footprint and strengthens our scaled global beverage platform.

“BrewDog’s brewing capabilities, production infrastructure, and hospitality locations in Australia provide a strong operational base to invest in the brand’s next chapter, while also creating a strategic hub to introduce Tilray’s portfolio of leading US beverage brands across the Asia-Pacific region.”

Tilray’s beverage portfolio spans craft beer, spirits, energy drinks and water. The company said the acquisition advances its strategy as Australia provides a strategic springboard into some of the fastest-growing premium and craft beer markets in the world, including Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea.

Tilray Brands President, International Rajnish Ohri said: “We’re excited to welcome the BrewDog Australia team to Tilray Brands. They bring strong brewing expertise, experienced local leadership, and a deep connection to the Australian craft beer community.

“From an operational standpoint, this acquisition gives us a strong foundation in a key market and an important hub for our international beverage and consumer products business. Together with the BrewDog team, we will focus on growing the brand locally while leveraging our brewing, distribution, and commercial capabilities to expand BrewDog across Australia’s national retail chain footprint and introduce Tilray’s broader beverage portfolio across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region, including key markets such as Japan.”

Tilray acquired BrewDog’s UK operations in a £33 million deal after the company entered administration last month, with negotiations still continuing on a deal on Brewdog’s assets in the United States and Australia.

The sale has resulted in the loss of 484 jobs in the UK, with 38 bars closed. Administrators said no equity holders – including those who invested in the brewer’s Equity for Punks scheme – would see any returns from the deal.

The BrewDog bars in Sydney, Perth and Melbourne are independently operated by Australian Venue Co, with a spokesperson for Australian Venue Co telling nine.com.au the closures and redundancies in the UK will not affect its venues.

“BrewDog South Eveleigh in Sydney, BrewDog Perth and BrewDog Pentridge in Melbourne will continue to operate as normal and team members will remain in their current roles,” the spokesperson said.

The Scottish craft brewery opened its first Australian brewery in Brisbane in 2019, on the banks of the Brisbane River. Australian Venue Co announced in 2022 that it would open multiple BrewDog bars, with CEO Paul Waterson describing the partnership as a :gamechanger for the Australian hospitality industry”.

The multinational brewery and pub chain was founded in 2007 by James Watt and Martin Dickie and is famous for pioneering the UK craft beer movement with its flagship Punk IPA.