Molson Brewery
 | |
| Subsidiary of Molson Coors Brewing Company | |
| Industry | Beverages |
| Founded | 1786 in Montreal |
| Founder | John Molson |
| Headquarters | Toronto, Canada |
Key people | Dave Perkins (CEO) and Kelly Brown (CLO) |
| Products | Beer |
| Owner | Molson Coors Brewing Company |
Number of employees | 3,000 |
| Website | http://www.molsoncoorscanada.com/, http://www.molsoncoors.com/ |
The Molson Brewery was formed in Montreal in 1786. In 2005 Molson merged with US-based Coors to form Molson Coors Brewing Company, the world's seventh-largest brewing company at that time. The Canadian division of the Molson Coors Brewing Company is Molson-Coors Canada Inc.. Molson's first brewery was located on the St. Lawrence River in Montreal where the Molson family continues to maintain its operations today.
History
Founded in Montreal in 1786, the Molson Brewery is the oldest brewery in North America and continues to produce beer on the site of the original brewery.[1][2] The company brews and markets a number of the most popular brands of beer in Canada. Domestic labels include Molson Canadian, Molson M, Molson Export, Molson Dry, Molson Exel De-Alcoholized beer, Old Style Pilsner, Rickard’s, Creemore Springs and Granville Island Brewing. Through partnerships with other major brewers, Molson Coors Canada also offers a diverse portfolio of beer brands, including Coors Light, Corona, Miller Genuine Draft (ending in 2015[3]), Heineken, Foster's Lager and Tiger. Molson employs 3,000 people in Canada and operates five breweries in locations across the country (Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Moncton and St. John's), as well as the Creemore micro-brewery in Ontario and Granville Island Brewing in British Columbia. Molson Coors Canada is part of the Molson Coors Brewing Company.
The Montreal facility is the oldest brewery in North America, with operations ongoing on the site of the original brewery since the time of founding.
On May 2, 1782, at the age of 18, John Molson left England for Canada, landing in Montreal on June 26. Shortly after his arrival, he began working at the Thomas Loyd brewery. He went on to purchase it in an auction in 1784. Not long after his arrival in Montreal in 1782, Molson sensed the market potential for beer in the then British colony. Prices for wine, rum and port were rising and an influx of English and Irish immigrants were particularly partial to beer. When he came of legal age, Molson used the money inherited from his parents to acquire a small brewery housed in a wooden building on the shores of the St Lawrence, just outside the fortifications of the burgeoning City of Montreal.
In 1785 he temporarily closed his business to cross the Atlantic in search of the modern equipment and ingredients. Upon his return, he offered the seeds free of charge to neighbouring Montreal farmers who agreed to grow them to satisfy the brewery's need for malt. Molson delivered his first brew, an ale in 1786, only six weeks after taking the helm. Priced at five cents a bottle, his brew sold well.
Molson took advantage of the many business opportunities of the time. He quickly diversified his investments, opened a lumber yard and began issuing loans to local Montreal merchants. In 1816, the family enterprise began to take shape when founder John Molson entered into an association with his three sons, John junior, Thomas and William.
Although brewing proved to be Molson's most sustainable field of endeavour, other activities were added down through the company's lengthy history. Molson was the first company to own and operate a fleet of steamboats which were used to transport people and goods between Quebec and Ontario. John Molson and his sons also founded the Molson Bank which later merged with Bank of Montreal.
In 1816 John Molson formed a partnership with his three sons – John, Thomas and William. It was Thomas who would eventually follow in his father’s footsteps by continuing the Molson brewing tradition and upholding the high standards of quality. In 1903, inspired by the popularity of imported beers, Herbert Molson, Thomas’ grandson, and brew master John Hyde created Molson Export, an authentic Ale brewed in the classic style developed by John Molson.
Molson Brewery considerably expanded the breadth of corporate activities throughout the 20th century. In 1945 the family decided to transform the company into a public, limited liability enterprise. It then became possible to acquire an ownership in the company without being a member of the Molson family. This made it possible for the company to expand and inaugurate a new brewery in Toronto (near the Canadian National Exhibition) in 1955. Two years later in 1957, the family acquired the Montreal Forum and the Montreal Canadiens. The company continued to develop and, in 1958, acquired six breweries which included five establishments in Western Canada, lending Molson nationwide presence. In 1989, the company consolidated market share in Quebec through a merger with Carling O'Keefe (acquiring Carling's Toronto brewery in Etobicoke). As a result, Molson became the largest brewery in Canada and the fifth largest in the world.
In 2005 Molson merged with US-based Coors to form Molson Coors Brewing Company. This was followed in 2007 by the opening of a new brewery in Moncton, New Brunswick. Sixth generation family member Eric Molson retired in 2009; however, his sons Andrew and Geoff continue to be active in company affairs as members of the corporate Board of Directors.[4]
Organization
Molson Coors is dual headquartered, with head offices located in Denver, Colorado, & Montreal, Quebec. The Canadian operational headquarters is located in Toronto (in addition to several breweries across Canada). United Kingdom headquarters is in Burton upon Trent.
Molson Coors Canada is part-owner of The Beer Store in Ontario Brewers Retail Inc., operating as a beer distribution and retail chain, which (protected by legislation) has an over 85% market share of total Ontario industry beer sales. Molson Coors Canada owns 50% of Brewers Distribution Limited in Western Canada.
Molson Coors bought Creemore Springs Brewery on 22 April 2005.[5]
The operations of Molson Coors in Brazil were sold to the Mexican group FEMSA in 2006, and the beer operations of FEMSA was acquired by Heineken International in 2010.
On October 9, 2007, SABMiller and Molson Coors agreed to combine their U.S. operations in a joint venture called Miller Coors. SABMiller is to own 58% of the unit, which is to operate in the U.S. and Puerto Rico but not Canada, where Molson Coors is strongest. Molson Coors is to own 42%, but the parties are to have equal voting power.[2]
Economy
Molson-Coors brands in Canada and the United States include Molson Canadian (lager), Molson Canadian Light, Molson Canadian 67, Coors Light, Coors Light Iced T, Molson M, Molson Ice, Molson Golden, Molson Export (ale), Molson Dry, Molson XXX, Stock Ale, Rickard's, Old Style Pilsner, Carling, Keystone Lager, Keystone Light, Bohemian, and Calgary Export. In Brazil, Molson owns partial stakes in the Brazilian brands Bavaria and Kaiser (which is now owned by Heineken), after acquisitions and disposals in 2000, 2002 and 2006. Molson Coors Canada has the marketing and selling rights for Corona brands, marketing and selling rights for Heineken in Canada, and marketing and selling rights for Miller brands in Canada. Beginning in 2007, Molson Coors announced a joint venture with Miller's parent to create MillerCoors, which handles production and distribution for both companies' American brands in the US market.
On June 20, 2009, the brothers Geoff Molson, Andrew Molson, and Eric Molson announced the purchase of 80.1% of the Montreal Canadiens from Colorado businessman George Gillett. The Canadiens have historically been the NHL's most successful hockey team. Along with the current majority ownership that the Molson brothers have of the team, the Molson company has owned all or portions of the Montreal Canadiens. In June 2009, the consortium led by the Molson brothers acquired the remaining 19.9% of the team that had been held by the company. Among many sports sponsorships, Molson and/or Coors also have deals with the Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche, Phoenix Coyotes and Detroit Red Wings, and their beverages can be purchased at other sports venues, such as the home of the Philadelphia Flyers, the Wells Fargo Center and the Washington Capitals at the Verizon Center
Brands
Molson brands include Carling Black Label and Molson Canadian.
Gallery
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Molson Dry bottles in refrigerator
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Molson Export Beer Bottle Label
Other ventures
Outside of beer and ice hockey, the Molson family were pioneers in steamships, hospitality, assisting with the building of the Montreal Hospital, patrons of the arts, and until 1925, involved in banking too, through Molson Bank which merged with The Bank of Montreal. Molson was once the owner of home improvement chains Beaver Lumber and Aikenhead's Home Improvement Warehouse. In February 1994, Molson sold 75% interest in Aikenhead's to Home Depot Inc for $150 million and later Beaver Lumber to Home Hardware in 1999.
See also
- Canadian beer
- Labatt
- List of breweries in Canada
- Ken Westerfield, Molson Frisbee Team
References
- ↑ "Beer Brewing | Drinking Beer". Molson Coors. Retrieved 2012-03-28.
- ↑ Jae-kyoung, Kim (2008-05-14). "Centennial Firms Dry up in Korea". Korea Times. Retrieved 2012-03-28.
- ↑ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/molson-coors-settles-lawsuit-with-miller-over-brand-distribution-in-canada/article21047390/
- ↑ Molson internal publications
- ↑ "cbc.ca". cbc.ca. 2005-04-22. Retrieved 2012-03-28.
External links
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