News Alert: A-B To Acquire 85% Of Beatbox For $490 Million
In a deal that’s been expected for a few weeks, Anheuser-Busch announced today that it will take control of fast-rising wine-based cocktail brand Beatbox, with the transaction expected to close in the first quarter of next year. Anheuser-Busch is acquiring 85% of Beatbox for up to approximately $490 million with a path to 100% ownership after five years.
The brand, known for its high-abv fruit- and tea-flavored drinks that come in 500-ml. Tetra Paks, has skyrocketed recently, growing 90% to 5.7 million cases last year, according to Impact Databank. For 2025, Impact projects that Beatbox will grow 34% to 7.7 million cases. Each individual Beatbox retails for around $5 and its fastest-growing variant is Beatbox Hard Tea, which nearly tripled in size last year, jumping from 280,000 cases in 2023 to 755,000 in 2024.
According to Circana, in the 52 weeks through November 23, Beatbox has sold over $340 million in retail sales in total U.S. MULC+ channels, with a growth rate of more than 50% year-over-year. The brand’s ‘Original Party Punch’ is sold in all 50 states and available at over 140,000 retail locations nationwide.
The purchase further bolsters A-B’s position in the RTD market, where it already operates with Nütrl vodka seltzer and Cutwater’s array of canned cocktails, which have volume of 2.7 million cases and 4 million cases in the U.S. respectively, according to Impact Databank.
Noting that Beatbox has been among the fastest-growing RTD brands in the past few years, A-B CEO Brendan Whitworth said, “I’m confident that their entrepreneurial spirit, their commitment to consistent innovation, and their ability to connect with their consumers will be a strong complement to our existing team and capabilities. We have a proven playbook for building winning brands, and I look forward to partnering with Beatbox and embarking on their next chapter of dynamic growth together.”
“Our long-standing relationships with the Anheuser-Busch team made this partnership feel like the right next step,” added Beatbox cofounder and CEO Justin Fenchel.—Daniel Marsteller
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