AB InBev acquires Master of Malt owner

ZX Ventures, the growth and innovation unit of brewing giant AB InBev, has acquired the UK-based Atom Group for an undisclosed sum.

The Atom Group, based in Kent, is comprised of online spirits retailer Master of Malt, producer Atom Brands (which includes That Boutique-y Whisky Company and That Boutique-y Gin Company) and distributor Maverick Drinks.

The leadership team of the Atom Group, including founder Justin Petszaft, Ben Ellefsen and Tom McGuiness, will remain in place with the Atom Group now, “able to tap into ZX Ventures and AB InBev’s global expertise and resources in order to scale up their pioneering eCommerce platform and get innovative and speciality drinks brands to more people around the world,” the two companies said in a statement.

Petszaft commented: “This deal is an amazing moment for our business, which has gone from working out of a shed in Kent, to one of the UK’s fastest-growing companies. We’ve always been a technology-focused business, building our eCommerce platform from scratch to give consumers the best experience possible and we recognised a kindred spirit in ZX Ventures, in its mission to innovate, grow and answer new consumer demands.

“We can’t wait to supercharge our business with ZX Ventures and share our tech expertise with their team as well.”

Andy Logan, eCommerce director for ZX Ventures, added: “We were set up to help other ambitious, innovative businesses unlock their potential, and that’s what this deal is all about.

“We loved the leadership team’s passion and enthusiasm for innovation and saw a really good cultural fit. We’re really excited about welcoming the Atom Group family into ZX Ventures and learning from the eCommerce expertise of the Master of Malt team.”