Bavaria N.V. announced it has acquired Latis Imports, the U.S. based Belgian specialty beer importer. After its acquisition of Palm Belgian Craft Brewers (PBCB) in May 2016, Bavaria is moving ahead with its international expansion strategy by acquiring the U.S. importer of beers in the PBCB portfolio. With the acquisition, Bavaria capitalizes on the growing U.S. specialty beer market.

With this move, Bavaria has local presence with an experienced team in the U.S., one of the five key regions for the company and a market where there is a strong appetite for specialty beers. Latis currently imports Belgium beers such as PALM and Rodenbach, and will now bring a wider portfolio of brands to the market, among which includes Hollandia and Claro from the wider Bavaria portfolio.

The brewer will bring a diverse range of beers closer to the consumer from a single importer. The acquisition will allow more people to enjoy both the pilsners as well as the specialty beers from Bavaria N.V.

Latis Imports was founded by David van Wees to make previously unknown beers available in the U.S. Van Wees will remain at the company as Managing Director of Bavaria’s U.S. operations and together with Arnoud van Schaik, Regional Sales Director Americas for Bavaria, will lead the activities of Bavaria USA.

Bavaria is a real family brewer and is currently led by the 7 th generation of the Swinkels family. Active in 120 markets, it has recently made several deals as part of its growth strategy with the goal of strengthening numerous markets. The acquisition of Palm Belgian Craft Brewers strengthened its specialty beer portfolio—complementing the strong Bavaria pilsner brand portfolio.

“Through the years, Latis Imports has done a tremendous job of educating the U.S. market and expanding the distribution around quality imports such as Rodenbach, PALM and others,” says Peer Swinkels, chief commercial officer of Bavaria N.V. “Following our acquisition of Palm Belgian Craft Brewers, it is a natural next step to expand geographically. This acquisition allows us to further expand Bavaria’s presence in the U.S., a country with a strong beer culture and deep appreciation of specialty-crafted beer. We are excited about our growth opportunities and introducing new products to a thirsty U.S. audience under David’s continued leadership. Further, we look forward to continuing our partnership with Radeberger USA, as local sales agent, who has driven effective coverage and sound specialty beer building execution.”

“Beer lovers in America, and Bavaria’s commitment to high quality beers will be a welcome addition to what’s available on the market,” says David van Wees, managing director of Bavaria’s U.S. operations. “We look forward to further growing and expanding the Bavaria presence in the United States.”