Where Is Labatt Beer Brewed, And Who Owns It?

While Labatt Blue may not be one of the big beer brands with in-your-face marketing and a prime spot on the shelves, the crisp pilsner flavor offered by this Canadian beer has been imported and enjoyed by Americans south of Labatt's Canadian brewing facility for over 70 years. The company's history goes back even further. Founded in 1847, it remained a family business for over 100 years until modern-day takeovers by food giants such as InBev and later FIFCO USA turned it into one of Canada's largest breweries, and one of the most imported Canadian beers to the United States.

Labatt still produces a massive amount of beer in Canada, which the U.S. imports, markets, and distributes through Labatt USA, but it is especially loved in New York, with Buffalo being its largest single American market. In 2009, InBev merged with Anheuser-Busch (you know, the producer of Budweiser, Stella Artois, Michelob, and a whole bunch more – even some craft beers) under its Brewers Collective banner.

Since Anheuser-Busch had such massive control of the beer market with the merger, the Justice Department called it anti-competitive. So, in 2009, InBev/Anheuser-Busch sold Labatt USA to FIFCO USA (which also makes Seagram's Escapes, Lipton Hard Iced Tea, and more), and the company retained the right to produce and sell Labatt Blue products in the United States. The taste for Labatt's Canadian brew hasn't slowed down, and in 2024, a Labatt brewing facility was built for $50 million in Rochester, New York.

For decades, Labatt Blue was proudly produced in Canada, specifically in its London, Ontario, facilities, and you would see "imported beer/biere" on its cans and boxes right under its "Canadian Pilsner" label. But times have changed, especially after the FIFCO sale, and a surge in U.S. demand has led to the Canadian breweries not being able to sufficiently supply the market. In 2024, Labatt began mass production of Labatt Blue in the United States, opening its new Rochester, New York, brewing facility. Additionally, in Buffalo, New York, Labatt has the Labatt Brew House, which holds its innovation brewery, where new Labatt flavors are invented.

So, which version of the beer are you buying? Depending on where you are in the world, you may be drinking U.S. or Canadian-brewed beer. You'll see on the can or box label where the beer was brewed. Your results will obviously vary, but some online retailers are still selling the Canadian-imported beer. Since it's now being brewed and distributed in New York, you'll likely see more domestic product available. If the brewing location is crucial to you, look for the "Imported Canadian Pilsener" text at the bottom of the case or in small print on the cans.