Unibroue possibly being sold!

From Québec, an insistent rumour comes, that it is already done, and the buyer is known as Sleeman. Up the road that Seigneuriale walked. Joris "Fred Waltman" schreef in bericht news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com...

Joris Pattyn a écrit :

Rumours from teh Belle Province, stating that the info could be released next Thursday

Just found this... :

Sleeman Continues Domestic Expansion with the Offer to Acquire Unibroue

MONTREAL, April 20 /CNW Telbec/ - The Chairman and CEO of Sleeman Breweries Ltd. (TSX:ALE), John W. Sleeman, and Pierre DesMarais II, Chairman of the Board of La Brasserie Sleeman du Québec Ltée. are proud to announce that Sleeman has made an offer to purchase all of the shares of the Quebec beer maker Unibroue Inc. (TSX:UBE), the acclaimed micro-brewery. Sleeman, the third largest and fastest growing brewing company in Canada, would thus become the premier brewer of quality beers in Quebec. The two companies' respective Boards of Directors have unanimously approved a definitive agreement whereby Sleeman offers to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Unibroue in an all cash transaction valued at approximately $36.5 million, including net debt to be assumed of $5.5 million.

Mrss. André Dion, Robert Charlebois and Serge Racine as well as their respective associates, holding between themselves 71.48 % of all outstanding Unibroue shares, have agreed to irrevocably tender all their shares to the offer.

"The Submarine Captain" schreef in bericht news:40851d2a$1 snipped-for-privacy@news.bluewin.ch...

One word: MORONS

JPP

Joris Pattyn a écrit :

Unibroue's shareholders ? Indeed.

The offer was made public today -- it was from Sleeman. Not good, but better than Interbrew!

Pas de. Roughly 75% of Unibroue shares are held by the company's directorship, and morons they're not. Ready to cash in, obviously, but not morons. Minority shareholders like myself can only cry into our bottles of Dix.

snipped-for-privacy@theparty.com a écrit :

Cashing in that way, ie. endangering a running business churning out interesting beers and giving work to local people, seen by European beer enthusiasts who've seen more than their share of cash-ins over the years, is deemed at least irresponsible, if not moronic.

Moronic, no; the directors are the same people responsible for establishing the Unibroue line in the first place, and obviously they were able to recognize a good offer when they saw one.

Highly irresponsible, yes, leaving loyal employees and customers facing an uncertain future. If they had sold out to someone who understood and appreciated good beer it would be one thing, but Sleemans...sheesh. Sleemans has made the usual noises about respecting the Unibroue staff, customers and beers, but they have a lousy history of thinning product lines and dumbing down beers.

Will be out tonight picking up a number of the 750ml bottles and storing them away in the cellar 'cos I doubt future releases will be as good (or even available in that size).

Sleeman better than Interbrew? Not by a long shot!!! Do you have any idea how many small, unique breweries Sleeman has bought up and then screwed their beers? Upper Canada Brewing in Ontario; Okanagan Spring Brewery & Shaftebury Brewing Co. in British Columbia; plus La brasserie Seigneriale in Quebec. They also bought up the assets of the Maritime Brewing Company in Nova Scotia but, MBC beers were bloody awful (Atlantic Storm was so bad I couldn't even choke down part of a bottle and even my son-in-law wouldn't drink it for free) so, I doubt if Sleeman could screw them up, much. We certainly aren't overrun with Belgian beers here in Ontario and I'd hate see the Belgian-style brews of Unibroue decline at the hands of Sleeman. At least Interbrew has some connection to Belgium ;-).

Ross.

schreef in bericht news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

If they're making noises, they're probably lying trough their noses already. The main former shareholder, a Mr. Dion, has been heard to attest no guarantees had been given as to the future of the range - in fact they would be planning to keep the 5 best selling, and re-evaluate regulary 2 others. I don't know why, but that sounds awfully plausible. Joris

I think they did it just to get the rights to all those really cool names. I can just see it...

La Maudite Honey Brown Lager Fin du Monde Cream Ale Trois Pistoles Steam beer Blanche du Chambly premium light lager

Mmmmmmmmm..... ;-)

Brian

Ross Reid a écrit :

Yeah fading fast as its beligian-ness is diluted further with every new takeover... :o((

It's a done deal