Anheuser Busch’s subsidiary Goose Island Beer has acquired 51% stake in Michigan-based hard cider firm Virtue Cider.
The remaining equity will remain with 31 investors, who include Virtue Cider founder and CEO Greg Hall.
Hall and Stephen Schmakel will continue to head the creative and operational aspects of the business.
The production will continue at Fennville, while packaging operations will be carried out at Goose Island's Fulton Street brewery. The bottling and kegging processes will be undertaken at this centre, which will also serve as a distribution hub.
Virtue Cider founder Gregory Hall, said: "The partnership with Goose Island will give Virtue access to high speed bottling and kegging at the Fulton Street Brewery, and the resources to expand production and distribution. We will get our ciders in the hands of more cider drinkers."
Started in 2011, Virtue Cider has been expanding its portfolio of barrel aged craft ciders, with their flagship brand being RedStreak, which is an English style cider, and The Mitten, a bourbon barrel aged cider.
Image: Virtue Cider to expand cider production. Photo: Courtesy of Sir James / Wikipedia.
