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Global Brands Limited acquires Hooch, Hooper’s and Reef brands from Molson Coors

04 January 2023 By Eloise Feilden

Global Brands Limited has today announced the purchase of Hooch, Hooper’s and Reef from Molson Coors, after producing and distributing the brands for over a decade.

Two people cheers Hooch cans: Global Brands Limited acquires Hooch, Hooper’s and Reef brands from Molson Coors

Molson Coors has sold the trademarks for the three brands to the independent drinks company. The brands have been produced and distributed by Global Brands since 2012 and now form part of its owned portfolio.

Molson Coors owns the trademark to brands including Coors, Staropramen, Carling, Madri Excepcional and Blue Moon. Nino Beneta, managing director of Molson Coors export and license EMEA & APAC, said the team will continue to focus on this “select portfolio of key international brands” moving forward.

Hooch, Hooper’s, and Reef will join the Global Brands portfolio – which includes on-trade ready-to-drink brand VK, tonic brand Franklin & Sons and Amigos Tequila Beer.

Three bottles of Hooper's overlooking countryside: Global Brands Limited acquires Hooch, Hooper’s and Reef brands from Molson Coors

Steve Perez, chairman and founder of Global Brands, said: ‘We are delighted to welcome the Hooch, Hooper’s and Reef brands as fully-fledged members of the Global Brands family. This will give us the opportunity to invest further into the brands with the added security of owning the equity.”

The company re-launched Hooch in 2012 at the Publican Awards with Keith Lemon and “reinvigorated the brand, with new flavours and focus”, according to Perez.

Indeed, as its producer and distributor, Global Brands expanded the Hooch range with the launch of Pink Hooch in 2020 and Orange Hooch in the summer of 2022.

Couple enjoying jug and bottles of Reef: Global Brands Limited acquires Hooch, Hooper’s and Reef brands from Molson Coors

Perez added: “Hooch is a staple of the RTD category sold by major retailers, and is a popular, well-loved brand. This deal will reinforce Global Brands’ position as the leading independent producer of RTD brands in the UK.”

In December 2022 db reported that Molson Coors was set to unwind the US portion of its CBD joint venture with Canadian marijuana grower Hexo by the end of the year.

By shutting down the American arm of the joint venture, named Truss USA, Molson Coors will effectively exit the CBD beverage business in the US from 31 December. Read more on that story here.

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