Labatt Brewing Company
Labatt Brewing Company Limited is a Canadian brewery founded in 1847 by John Kinder Labatt in London, Ontario, initially producing around one thousand bottles of beer annually from a small operation.[1][2] It has grown into Canada's largest brewer, operating six major breweries across the country in locations including London, Montreal, and St. John's, and producing more than 60 beer brands using traditional methods and high-quality ingredients.[3][4] The company is headquartered in Toronto and has been a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev since its acquisition in the late 2000s, maintaining a focus on local and iconic Canadian beers like Labatt Blue, its flagship pale lager that has symbolized national brewing heritage for decades.[5][2] Labatt's longevity stems from strategic expansions, such as leveraging railroads in the 19th century for national distribution and innovating products like Labatt 50 in 1950 to mark milestones, which briefly became Canada's top-selling beer.[6][7] The brewery has weathered significant challenges, including two world wars, Prohibition-era restrictions, and economic shifts, while achieving market dominance through consistent quality and volume growth to millions of hectoliters annually.[1] Defining characteristics include its deep ties to Canadian culture via sports sponsorships, such as hockey promotions and motorsport backing, which have reinforced brand loyalty without reliance on fleeting trends.[8] No major controversies have notably impeded its operations, underscoring a record of resilient, empirically driven business practices over 175 years.[9]