Champion Breweries Plc has entered into a strategic partnership with Thistlerock Enterprises Ltd., owners of Bature Brewery, to manufacture and distribute three craft beer brands nationwide.

The agreement also gives Champion Breweries an option to acquire the brands, subject to achieving annual sales targets.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Champion Breweries, Malolan Sampath, disclosed the partnership in a statement on Friday in Lagos.

He said Champion would manufacture, package and distribute Bature’s Lagos Lager, Black Gold Stout and Harmattan Haze at its brewery in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The arrangement will leverage Champion’s manufacturing capacity and national distribution network to increase the availability of the craft beers across Nigeria.

Under the agreement, Bature will license the three brands to Champion for manufacturing and distribution within Nigeria.

However, Bature will retain ownership and control of product development, brand strategy and consumer engagement, while continuing to serve its Lagos hospitality accounts directly.

Mr Sampath said the agreement also included an acquisition option covering the brands’ trademarks, recipes and goodwill.

He explained that Champion could exercise the option when annual sales reached 40,000 hectolitres, based on a pre-agreed, performance-linked valuation.

The proposed acquisition would, however, remain subject to the necessary corporate and regulatory approvals.

Mr Sampath said the partnership aligned with Champion’s ambition to build a diversified beverage business and create value through brand ownership and strategic collaborations.

“Our ambition is to build a diversified beverage business that creates value through the brands we own, the capabilities we develop and the partnerships we establish,” he said.

He said Champion saw significant opportunities to deploy its manufacturing expertise and distribution network to help distinctive Nigerian brands reach wider markets.

“Bature is a strong example of that opportunity,” Mr Sampath said.

He described Bature as a brand with a reputation for quality, creativity and innovation, expressing confidence in the benefits of combining its strengths with Champion’s operational capabilities.

He said the partnership reflected Champion’s confidence in Nigeria’s beverage industry and its commitment to contributing meaningfully to the sector’s long-term growth.

Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bature Brewery, Kevin Conroy, said the partnership represented an important step towards expanding the brand’s national reach.

He recalled that the brewery was established with the belief that Nigeria could produce world-class craft beers with distinctive local character and identity.

“When we started Bature, we believed Nigeria could produce world-class craft beers with a character and identity entirely their own,” Mr Conroy said.

He said the brewery was proud of its achievements in Lagos, particularly the community that had developed around its products.

“What has been most rewarding is seeing people embrace that vision and build a community around our beers,” he said.

Mr Conroy said the partnership would enable more Nigerians to experience Bature’s products while preserving the creativity and originality underpinning the brewery.

He said, “This partnership marks an exciting new chapter for us. It means more Nigerians will have the opportunity to discover and enjoy our beers, while we stay true to the creativity, originality and passion that made Bature what it is today.”

He stated that the nationwide rollout would take place in phases, beginning with Lagos Lager, scheduled for launch at the Calabar Festival in December 2026.

The festival is regarded as one of Nigeria’s largest consumer gatherings, providing an opportunity to introduce the brand to a wider audience.

Mr Conroy said Harmattan Haze would follow in the first quarter of 2027, while Black Gold Stout would be introduced later that year.

 (NAN)