Labatt Brewing Company
Encyclopedia
Labatt Brewing Company Ltd. is a Canadian beer
company founded by John Kinder Labatt
in 1847 in London, Ontario
. In 1995, it was purchased by Belgian brewer Interbrew
; it is now part of Anheuser-Busch InBev
. Labatt is the largest brewer in Canada
.
In the United States
, Labatt brand beers are sold under license by Labatt USA, which since 2009 has been fully independent of the Canadian firm and a subsidiary of the privately-held North American Breweries
of Rochester, New York
.
began in Canada
when public bars were banned in Saskatchewan
. A year later prohibition was instituted in Ontario
as well, affecting all 64 breweries in the province. Although some provinces totally banned alcohol manufacture, some permitted production for export to the United States
. Labatt survived by producing full strength beer for export south of the border and by introducing two "temperance ales" with less than two per cent alcohol
for sale in Ontario. However, the Canadian beer industry suffered a second blow when Prohibition began in the U.S. in 1919. When Prohibition was repealed in Ontario in 1926, just 15 breweries remained and only Labatt retained its original management. This resulted in a strengthened industry position. In 1945 Labatt became a publicly traded company with the issuance of 900,000 shares.
John and Hugh Labatt, grandsons of founder John K. Labatt, launched Labatt 50 in 1950 to commemorate 50 years of partnership. The first light ale introduced in Canada, Labatt 50 was Canada’s best-selling beer until 1979.
In 1951, Labatt launched its Pilsener Lager; when it was introduced in Manitoba
, the beer was nicknamed "Blue" for the colour of its label and the company's support of Winnipeg's Canadian Football League
(CFL) franchise, the Blue Bombers
. The nickname stuck and in 1979 Labatt Blue claimed top spot in the Canadian beer market. It lost this status in the late eighties to Molson Canadian
, but over the next decade, periodically regained top spot as consumer preferences fluctuated. In 2004, Budweiser
took the top spot, pushing Blue to third for the first time in twenty-five years. However, since Labatt has brewed Budweiser (and other Anheuser-Busch
products) in Canada under licence since the 1980s, Labatt likely did not suffer from this shift. Moreover, Labatt Blue remains the best selling Canadian beer in the world based upon worldwide sales.
Labatt was also the majority owner of the Toronto Blue Jays
from their inception in 1976 until 1995, when Interbrew
purchased Labatt.
Labatt's innovations include the introduction of the first twist-off cap on a refillable bottle in 1984. In 1989, Labatt's had the opportunity to hire Canadian model Pamela Anderson
as a Labatt's Blue Zone Girl after she was picked out of the crowd by a TV camera man at a BC Lions
football game wearing a Blue Zone crop-top. Photographer and boyfriend, Dann Ilicic, produced the Blue Zone Girl poster on his own after Labatt's refused to have anything to do with it. Later, Labatt's did buy 1000 posters to deal with consumer demand.
In 1995, Labatt was acquired by the large Belgian multinational brewer InBev (then Interbrew), the world market leader.
Labatt is part-owner of Brewers Retail Inc.
, operator of The Beer Store retail chain, which—protected by legislation—has over 90% market share of Ontario off-premise beer sales.
In early 2007, Labatt also acquired Lakeport Brewing Company
of Hamilton, Ontario
.
In 2009, the company sold Labatt USA, including the American rights to its core Labatt products (such as Blue, Blue Light, and Labatt 50) to North American Breweries
, and agreed to brew those brands on Labatt USA's behalf until 2012. This sale was mandated by the U.S. Department of Justice for competitive reasons following InBev's merger with Anheuser-Busch, since Budweiser and Labatt Blue were both among the top brands in upstate New York
, despite the latter having less than 1% market share in the U.S. overall.
The sale did not include U.S. rights to Labatt products not carrying the "Labatt" label, such as Kokanee
or Alexander Keith's
, which are now distributed in the U.S. by Anheuser-Busch. Moreover, the underlying intellectual property
(such as the Labatt trademark
s) remains the property of the Canadian firm. Finally, the sale did not affect Labatt's Canadian operations in any way; Anheuser-Busch InBev retains full control of the Labatt brand portfolio within Canada.
United States
Labatt’s US headquarters where originally located in Buffalo for some years. Labatt then decided to relocate their headquarters to Norwalk, Connecticut for a time. In 2007 Labatt decided to relocate their US operations back to Buffalo due to strong sales in the city and closer proximity to their Ontario
operations. Labatt USA is now owned by North American Breweries
of Rochester, NY
Labatt's Toronto brewery ceased operations in 2006 and demolished by 2007, thus ending the brewery's ties to the city.
Blonde ale launched in 1950 to commemorate 50 years of partnership between the grandson of the brewer's founder. The first light-tasting ale introduced in Canada, Labatt 50 was Canada’s best-selling beer
until 1979 when, with the increasing popularity of lagers, it was surpassed by Labatt Blue. Labatt 50 is fermented using a special ale yeast, in use at Labatt since 1933.
Labatt Blue is a 5% abv
pale lager
. There are 11.5 USfloz of beer in a bottle of Labatt Blue. There are 355mL of beer in a standard can of Labatt Blue/Bleue in Canada with other volumes available in specific regions of the country.
, the John Labatt Centre
, and the John Labatt Visual Arts Centre at the University of Western Ontario
(UWO). Bessie Labatt's son Arthur Labatt
was the 19th chancellor of UWO (2004–2008). In 1998 Labatt announced a 20 year sponsorship agreement with the now defunct Montreal Expos
(now the Washington Nationals
), which included naming rights for a downtown Montreal
ballpark
which was never built. From 1992-1997 they sponsored the English football team Nottingham Forest F.C.
. They also are the official beer and corporate sponsor of the OHL hockey franchise Plymouth Whalers. In the 1950s, the company sponsored a PGA Tour
golf tournament, the Labatt Open
. Labatt was a sponsor of the Williams F1 racing team in the early 1990s.
Labatt is a beer partner of the NFL's Buffalo Bills
, as well as the NHL's Buffalo Sabres
, Carolina Hurricanes
, Columbus Blue Jackets
, New York Islanders
, and Pittsburgh Penguins
.
In May 2009, Labatt gave their support to a seventh NHL team in Canada, which was pursued by Jim Balsillie
.
along the Canadian border), although in Quebec
it is sold under the name Labatt Bleue, with a slightly different logo. Aside from the name, and containing 4.9% alcohol/volume instead of 5.0%, the red maple leaf on the logo has also been changed to a red fleur-de-lis
type of image. The business sponsored Nottingham Forest F.C.
from 1992 (interchanging with Shipstones Brewery
until 1994) to 1997.
Canadian beer
Beer in Canada was introduced by European settlers in the seventeenth century, and a number of commercial brewers thrived until Prohibition in Canada. Though short-lived, very few brewers survived, and it was only in the late twentieth century that new breweries opened up...
company founded by John Kinder Labatt
John Kinder Labatt
John Kinder Labatt was an Irish-Canadian brewer, and the founder of the Labatt Brewing Company.Born in County Laoighis, Ireland, Labatt immigrated to Canada in the 1830s and initially established himself as a farmer near London, Upper Canada. In 1847 he invested in a brewery with a partner, Samuel...
in 1847 in London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
. In 1995, it was purchased by Belgian brewer Interbrew
Interbrew
Interbrew was a large Belgium-based brewing company which owned many internationally known beers, as well as some smaller local beers. In 2004 Interbrew merged with Brazilian brewer AmBev to form InBev, which is the now largest brewer in the world by volume, with a 13% global market share now...
; it is now part of Anheuser-Busch InBev
Anheuser-Busch InBev
Anheuser-Busch InBev N.V. is a Belgian-Brazilian publicly-traded company, based in Leuven, Belgium. It is the largest global brewer with nearly 25% global market share and one of the world's top five consumer products companies by EBITA....
. Labatt is the largest brewer in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Labatt brand beers are sold under license by Labatt USA, which since 2009 has been fully independent of the Canadian firm and a subsidiary of the privately-held North American Breweries
North American Breweries
North American Breweries is a new parent corporation established by New York City investment firm KPS Capital Partners to manage its brewery acquisitions: Genesee Brewing Company, Dundee Brewing Company, Pyramid, Magic Hat, and MacTarnahan's. The company also manages Labatt USA, which imports...
of Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
.
History
In 1915, ProhibitionProhibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
began in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
when public bars were banned in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. A year later prohibition was instituted in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
as well, affecting all 64 breweries in the province. Although some provinces totally banned alcohol manufacture, some permitted production for export to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Labatt survived by producing full strength beer for export south of the border and by introducing two "temperance ales" with less than two per cent alcohol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
for sale in Ontario. However, the Canadian beer industry suffered a second blow when Prohibition began in the U.S. in 1919. When Prohibition was repealed in Ontario in 1926, just 15 breweries remained and only Labatt retained its original management. This resulted in a strengthened industry position. In 1945 Labatt became a publicly traded company with the issuance of 900,000 shares.
John and Hugh Labatt, grandsons of founder John K. Labatt, launched Labatt 50 in 1950 to commemorate 50 years of partnership. The first light ale introduced in Canada, Labatt 50 was Canada’s best-selling beer until 1979.
In 1951, Labatt launched its Pilsener Lager; when it was introduced in Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, the beer was nicknamed "Blue" for the colour of its label and the company's support of Winnipeg's Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
(CFL) franchise, the Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
. The nickname stuck and in 1979 Labatt Blue claimed top spot in the Canadian beer market. It lost this status in the late eighties to Molson Canadian
Molson Canadian
Molson Canadian is a brand of 5% abv North American lager brewed by Molson, the Canadian division of Molson Coors Brewing Company. The beer was introduced in 1959.-Awards:Molson Canadian has won several beer industry awards, including:...
, but over the next decade, periodically regained top spot as consumer preferences fluctuated. In 2004, Budweiser
Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)
Budweiser is a 5.0% abv American-style lager introduced in 1876 by Adolphus Busch and one of the highest selling beers in the United States. It is made with up to 30% rice in addition to hops and barley malt. Budweiser is produced in various breweries located around the world...
took the top spot, pushing Blue to third for the first time in twenty-five years. However, since Labatt has brewed Budweiser (and other Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , is an American brewing company. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and 18 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks across the United States through the...
products) in Canada under licence since the 1980s, Labatt likely did not suffer from this shift. Moreover, Labatt Blue remains the best selling Canadian beer in the world based upon worldwide sales.
Labatt was also the majority owner of the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
from their inception in 1976 until 1995, when Interbrew
Interbrew
Interbrew was a large Belgium-based brewing company which owned many internationally known beers, as well as some smaller local beers. In 2004 Interbrew merged with Brazilian brewer AmBev to form InBev, which is the now largest brewer in the world by volume, with a 13% global market share now...
purchased Labatt.
Labatt's innovations include the introduction of the first twist-off cap on a refillable bottle in 1984. In 1989, Labatt's had the opportunity to hire Canadian model Pamela Anderson
Pamela Anderson
Pamela Denise Anderson is a Canadian-American actress, model, producer, author, activist, and former showgirl, known for her roles on the television series Home Improvement, Baywatch, and V.I.P. She was chosen as a Playmate of the Month for Playboy magazine in February 1990...
as a Labatt's Blue Zone Girl after she was picked out of the crowd by a TV camera man at a BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
football game wearing a Blue Zone crop-top. Photographer and boyfriend, Dann Ilicic, produced the Blue Zone Girl poster on his own after Labatt's refused to have anything to do with it. Later, Labatt's did buy 1000 posters to deal with consumer demand.
In 1995, Labatt was acquired by the large Belgian multinational brewer InBev (then Interbrew), the world market leader.
Labatt is part-owner of Brewers Retail Inc.
Brewers Retail Inc.
The Beer Store is the trading name for Brewers Retail, a privately owned, joint-venture chain of retail outlets in Ontario, Canada, founded in 1927. The articles of incorporation stipulate that Brewers Retail cannot sell "hard liquor" , or consumer goods...
, operator of The Beer Store retail chain, which—protected by legislation—has over 90% market share of Ontario off-premise beer sales.
In early 2007, Labatt also acquired Lakeport Brewing Company
Lakeport Brewing Company
The Lakeport Brewing Company is a beer brewer located on Burlington Street East and Wellington Street North in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest discount brewer in Canada, and uses the motto "Lakeport, Great beer, Fair prices." The company was incorporated on April 27, 2005...
of Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
.
In 2009, the company sold Labatt USA, including the American rights to its core Labatt products (such as Blue, Blue Light, and Labatt 50) to North American Breweries
North American Breweries
North American Breweries is a new parent corporation established by New York City investment firm KPS Capital Partners to manage its brewery acquisitions: Genesee Brewing Company, Dundee Brewing Company, Pyramid, Magic Hat, and MacTarnahan's. The company also manages Labatt USA, which imports...
, and agreed to brew those brands on Labatt USA's behalf until 2012. This sale was mandated by the U.S. Department of Justice for competitive reasons following InBev's merger with Anheuser-Busch, since Budweiser and Labatt Blue were both among the top brands in upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
, despite the latter having less than 1% market share in the U.S. overall.
The sale did not include U.S. rights to Labatt products not carrying the "Labatt" label, such as Kokanee
Kokanee
Kokanee is a word from the Okanagan language referring to land-locked lake populations of Sockeye salmon . It may also refer to:* Kokanee Range, a subrange of the Selkirk Mountains in British Columbia, Canada...
or Alexander Keith's
Alexander Keith's
Alexander Keith's is a Canadian brewery founded in 1820 in Halifax, Nova Scotia making it one of the oldest commercial breweries in all of North America. It was founded by Alexander Keith who emigrated from Scotland in 1817. Today, the brewery is under the control of Labatt, a subsidiary of...
, which are now distributed in the U.S. by Anheuser-Busch. Moreover, the underlying intellectual property
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
(such as the Labatt trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
s) remains the property of the Canadian firm. Finally, the sale did not affect Labatt's Canadian operations in any way; Anheuser-Busch InBev retains full control of the Labatt brand portfolio within Canada.
Operations
Canada- London, OntarioLondon, OntarioLondon is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
- St. John's, Newfoundland and LabradorSt. John's, Newfoundland and LabradorSt. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
- Montreal, QuebecMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
- Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Creston, British ColumbiaCreston, British ColumbiaCreston is a town of 4,826 people in the Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia, Canada. The town is located just a few kilometers north of the Porthill, Idaho border crossing into the United States and about a three-hour drive north from Spokane, Washington. It is about a one-hour drive...
- Edmonton, AlbertaEdmontonEdmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
United States
- Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New YorkBuffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
(Original and current United States Headquarters) - Norwalk, ConnecticutNorwalk, ConnecticutNorwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
(One time US headquarters)
Labatt’s US headquarters where originally located in Buffalo for some years. Labatt then decided to relocate their headquarters to Norwalk, Connecticut for a time. In 2007 Labatt decided to relocate their US operations back to Buffalo due to strong sales in the city and closer proximity to their Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
operations. Labatt USA is now owned by North American Breweries
North American Breweries
North American Breweries is a new parent corporation established by New York City investment firm KPS Capital Partners to manage its brewery acquisitions: Genesee Brewing Company, Dundee Brewing Company, Pyramid, Magic Hat, and MacTarnahan's. The company also manages Labatt USA, which imports...
of Rochester, NY
Labatt's Toronto brewery ceased operations in 2006 and demolished by 2007, thus ending the brewery's ties to the city.
Brands
Labatt 50 is a 5% abvABV
ABV is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* Alcohol by volume, a measure of the alcohol content of alcoholic drinks* Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria, from its IATA airport code...
Blonde ale launched in 1950 to commemorate 50 years of partnership between the grandson of the brewer's founder. The first light-tasting ale introduced in Canada, Labatt 50 was Canada’s best-selling beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
until 1979 when, with the increasing popularity of lagers, it was surpassed by Labatt Blue. Labatt 50 is fermented using a special ale yeast, in use at Labatt since 1933.
Labatt Blue is a 5% abv
ABV
ABV is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* Alcohol by volume, a measure of the alcohol content of alcoholic drinks* Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria, from its IATA airport code...
pale lager
Pale lager
Pale lager is a very pale to golden-coloured beer with a well attenuated body and a varying degree of noble hop bitterness. The brewing process for this beer developed in the mid 19th century when Gabriel Sedlmayr took pale ale brewing techniques back to the Spaten Brewery in Germany and applied it...
. There are 11.5 USfloz of beer in a bottle of Labatt Blue. There are 355mL of beer in a standard can of Labatt Blue/Bleue in Canada with other volumes available in specific regions of the country.
Corporate activities
Labatt has sponsored the construction of many buildings in London, including Labatt ParkLabatt Park
Labatt Memorial Park is a baseball stadium near the forks of the Thames River in central London, Ontario, Canada. It is in size, has 5,200 seats and a natural grass field...
, the John Labatt Centre
John Labatt Centre
The John Labatt Centre is a sports-entertainment centre, in London, Ontario, Canada -- the largest such centre in southwestern Ontario.The John Labatt Centre, usually referred to as the "JLC", opened on October 11, 2002. It is named after John Labatt, founder of the Labatt brewery in London...
, and the John Labatt Visual Arts Centre at the University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
(UWO). Bessie Labatt's son Arthur Labatt
Arthur Labatt
Arthur Sackville Labatt, OC is a great-grandson of John Labatt, founder of the Labatt brewery. Until recently he was the chancellor of the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada....
was the 19th chancellor of UWO (2004–2008). In 1998 Labatt announced a 20 year sponsorship agreement with the now defunct Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
(now the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
), which included naming rights for a downtown Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
ballpark
Baseball park
A baseball park, also known as a baseball stadium, ball park, or ballpark is a venue where baseball is played. It consists of the playing field and the surrounding spectator seating...
which was never built. From 1992-1997 they sponsored the English football team Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
. They also are the official beer and corporate sponsor of the OHL hockey franchise Plymouth Whalers. In the 1950s, the company sponsored a PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
golf tournament, the Labatt Open
Labatt Open
The Labatt Open was a golf event on the PGA Tour that was played in Canada in the mid-1950s. It was sponsored by the Labatt Brewing Company. It was played at several different courses.Billy Casper won the first of his 51 PGA Tour wins at this event in 1956....
. Labatt was a sponsor of the Williams F1 racing team in the early 1990s.
Labatt is a beer partner of the NFL's Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, as well as the NHL's Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
, Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
, Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, and Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
.
In May 2009, Labatt gave their support to a seventh NHL team in Canada, which was pursued by Jim Balsillie
Jim Balsillie
James Laurence "Jim" Balsillie is a Canadian businessman and co-CEO of the Canadian company Research In Motion. He is a member of the Trilateral Commission, a private political organization...
.
Marketing
Labatt Blue is sold in all provinces of Canada (most of the United States sells Labatt with sales particularly strong in the Midwest and NortheastNortheastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
along the Canadian border), although in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
it is sold under the name Labatt Bleue, with a slightly different logo. Aside from the name, and containing 4.9% alcohol/volume instead of 5.0%, the red maple leaf on the logo has also been changed to a red fleur-de-lis
Fleur-de-lis
The fleur-de-lis or fleur-de-lys is a stylized lily or iris that is used as a decorative design or symbol. It may be "at one and the same time, political, dynastic, artistic, emblematic, and symbolic", especially in heraldry...
type of image. The business sponsored Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
from 1992 (interchanging with Shipstones Brewery
Shipstones Brewery
James Shipstone & Sons was the name of a brewery based in New Basford in Nottingham, England that opened in 1852 and finally closed in 1991.-History:The company produced the Shipstones brand of beer, known locally as Shippos....
until 1994) to 1997.
External links
- The Official Web site of Labatt Breweries of Canada
- The Official Site of Labatt Blue
- The Official Site of Labatt Bleue
- 1970s Labatt's Beer Commercial - From the Internet Archive.
- 2007 Labatt Blue Commercial (Fish)
- The Official Site of Kokanee
- The Official Site of Alexander Keith's
- The Official Site of Stella Artois
- The Official Site of Brahma
Multimedia
- CBC Archives CBC Radio reports on Interbrew's takeover of Labatt (From 1995).