Champion Breweries Partners with Bature to Expand Nigerian Craft Beer Nationwide
Champion Breweries Plc has entered into an agreement with Thistlerock Enterprises Limited, the owner of Bature Brewery, to manufacture and distribute Bature’s craft beers across Nigeria. The deal also gives Champion the option to acquire three Bature brands, subject to agreed sales-performance milestones.
Under the agreement, Champion will brew, package and distribute Lagos Lager, Black Gold Stout and Harmattan Haze from its brewery in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The company will use its national distribution network to broaden the beers’ availability across the country.
Bature will license the brands to Champion for manufacturing and distribution in Nigeria while retaining ownership and control of product development, brand strategy and consumer engagement. Bature will also continue to serve its Lagos hospitality accounts directly.
The acquisition option covers the brands’ trademarks, recipes and goodwill. It may be exercised once annual sales reach 40,000 hectolitres, at a pre-agreed, performance-linked valuation and subject to required corporate and regulatory approvals.
Malolan Sampath, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Champion Breweries Plc, said:
“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. We see significant opportunities to leverage our manufacturing expertise and distribution network to help distinctive Nigerian brands reach more consumers.
Bature is a strong example of that opportunity. It has built a reputation for quality, creativity and innovation, and we believe that combining its brand strengths with Champion’s operational capabilities will help bring its award-winning beers to consumers across Nigeria. This partnership reflects our confidence in the long-term potential of Nigeria’s beverage industry and our commitment to playing a meaningful role in its growth.”
Kevin Conroy, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bature Brewery, said:
“When we started Bature, we believed Nigeria could produce world-class craft beers with a character and identity entirely their own. What has been most rewarding is seeing people embrace that vision and build a community around our beers. We are incredibly proud of what we have created in Lagos, but we have always believed Bature could go much further.
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.”
The beers will launch nationally in phases, beginning with Lagos Lager, which is targeted to launch at the Calabar Festival in December 2026. Harmattan Haze is expected to follow in the first quarter of 2027, with Black Gold Stout planned for later that year.
