Food & Beverage Acquisitions in Kentucky

Louisville Brands has acquired Louisville Vegan Jerky Company, a plant-based snack brand and Render Capital Fund 1 portfolio company. The acquisition brings the top-selling vegan jerky brand into Louisville Brands' consumer CPG platform to accelerate national scaling and leverage regional logistics and distribution strengths.

Bourdon Spirits Company, a family-owned spirits company based in Louisville, has acquired Copper & Kings American Brandy Company from Constellation Brands. The acquisition preserves production at Copper & Kings' Louisville distillery and positions Bourdon to expand the brand's visitor experience and national distribution while maintaining its creative identity.

InvestBev, via its private credit arm InvestBev Credit, closed an eight-figure financing agreement with Registered Distillery One (RD1), a Kentucky-based bourbon distillery. The financing will support RD1's ongoing expansion and growth initiatives, with InvestBev Credit highlighting its recent deployment of nearly $30 million in 2025 to beverage operators and barrel owners.

Celsius Holdings, Inc. completed the acquisition of Alani Nutrition LLC (Alani Nu) for $1.8 billion (including $150 million of tax assets) — a net purchase price of $1.65 billion comprised of cash and newly issued Celsius stock. The deal combines two scaled better‑for‑you energy/functional beverage brands to expand Celsius’ product portfolio, female-focused consumer reach and distribution footprint; Alani Nu will operate within Celsius and key founders/owners will remain as advisors.

Five Star Breaktime Solutions has acquired Top of the Line (TOTL) Food Service, a Louisville-based multi-route vending, micro-market and office coffee services provider founded by Tom Williams. The deal expands Five Star's footprint in Kentucky and transfers several TOTL employees to Five Star as the founder retires.

Molson Coors Beverage Company has agreed to acquire Blue Run Spirits, a Georgetown, Kentucky-based producer of premium bourbon and rye whiskies, and will house the brand within its newly established Coors Spirits Co. The founders of Blue Run will remain with the brand, with co-founder Mike Montgomery taking an expanded role leading Coors Spirits Co., as Molson Coors accelerates its premiumization and expansion into the spirits category.

Cargill has acquired Owensboro Grain Company, a fifth-generation family-owned soybean processing facility and refinery in Owensboro, Kentucky. The acquisition expands Cargill's North American oilseeds capacity and modernizes its supply chain capabilities to support demand from food, feed and renewable fuel markets; terms were not disclosed and the transaction completed in January 2023.

Bardstown Bourbon Company has entered into an agreement to acquire Green River Spirits Company, combining two Kentucky bourbon producers. The acquisition adds the historic Green River Distilling Co. in Owensboro and a production facility in Charleston, South Carolina, expanding Bardstown's custom distillation capacity and branded bourbon portfolio.

J&J Snack Foods Corp. agreed to acquire Dippin' Dots, L.L.C. (including the Doc Popcorn business) for $222 million, a transaction funded with cash and senior debt and expected to close in June 2022. The acquisition expands J&J's frozen novelty portfolio and production/distribution capacity, and closed on June 21, 2022.

Pritzker Private Capital (PPC) has acquired Bardstown Bourbon Company, a Kentucky-based distiller, producer and bottler of premium bourbon and rye whiskey, with PPC investing alongside Bardstown Bourbon's management team and current investors. The deal will support Bardstown's growth by increasing production capacity, expanding its branded product presence and enhancing its experiential Bourbon Trail destination; financial terms were not disclosed.

Givaudan has reached an agreement to acquire DDW, The Color House, a US-based natural colour company headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. The acquisition (terms undisclosed) will expand Givaudan's Taste & Wellbeing portfolio and natural-colour capabilities; DDW operates 12 facilities, has about 315 employees and would have contributed roughly USD 140 million of incremental sales on a 2020 pro forma basis. The transaction is expected to close in Q4 2021 and is planned to be debt funded.