Another day, another acquisition: Constellation Brands buys Florida’s Funky Buddha

Have you bought a craft brewery lately? Well, you’re about the only one who hasn’t. Last week, it was Sapporo buying Anchor Brewing. This week it’s Constellation Brands buying Oakland Park, Fla.-based Funky Buddha Brewery. Constellation is the largest beer import company in the world measured by sales. It owns the U.S. distribution rights to beer brands like Corona, Modelo Especial, Negra Modelo and Pacífico. It also bought Ballast Point Brewing Co. back in 2015 for a whopping $1 billion.

To the press release!

“We chose to partner with Constellation because we saw an alignment in vision and felt they gave us the greatest opportunity for growth and development,” said Funky Buddha Head Brewer and President Ryan Sentz. “Constellation and Funky Buddha share a lot of the same ideals and passion for philanthropy, entrepreneurship and the art of craft beer. At the end of the day, we just really like the people we have met within the organization, each of whom share our dedication to making outstanding beer.”

Funky Buddha joins Constellation’s Craft & Specialty Beer Group in the beer division. The brewery was founded in 2010 in Boca Raton, Fla., by husband and wife Ryan and Giani Sentz. As the demand for Funky Buddha’s beers grew, Ryan and Giani invited Ryan’s brother KC Sentz, and his wife Melissa Sentz, to join the business. In 2013, the Sentz family started Funky Buddha Brewery, located in the heart of Oakland Park’s burgeoning Culinary Arts District. At 54,000 square feet and with a capacity of 45,000 barrels, Funky Buddha Brewery is South Florida’s largest craft microbrewery by size and volume, and is Florida’s busiest tap room by beer sales, according to the press release.

“Adding a fantastic regional brand such as Funky Buddha to our craft beer portfolio, along with Ballast Point, advances our strategy in continuing to lead the high-end beer segment,” said Paul Hetterich, executive vice president and president of the beer division at Constellation Brands. “The Sentz family has created a culture of bold creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. Those qualities, combined with our beer division’s market reach, distributor partnerships, consumer insights, and our craft expertise within Ballast Point, will help nurture and develop Funky Buddha’s distinctive brand.”

Funky Buddha Brewery’s team of employees will continue to work together with Ryan and KC Sentz running the day-to-day operations. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.