Unibroue is a brewery in Chambly, Quebec, Canada, that was started by Serge Racine and Quebec native André Dion. The company was purchased by Sleeman Breweries Ltd. in 2004, which was itself taken over by Sapporo in 2006.
History
Unibroue was founded by business partners André Dion and Serge Racine who had acquired 75% of La Brasserie Massawippi Inc. of Lennoxville, the initiator of the micro-brewery movement in Québec, in 1990. The two purchased the remainder of the shares at the end of 1991 when they transferred their interest in La Brasserie Massawippi Inc. to Unibroue. The original goal of the two entrepreneurs was to improve distribution for the few emerging craft breweries in Quebec. When other breweries left the project, Unibroue shifted towards brewing entirely. According to Pierre Clermont, a knowledgeable observer of Quebec beer, "since there was a moratorium on brewing licenses, Unibroue bought Massawippi to be able to brew their own beer. By purchasing the brewery, they automatically acquired the brewing license, Br-008."[1]
By 1992, La Brasserie Massawippi Inc. became a wholly owned subsidiary of Unibroue. Afterward, it changed its corporate name to Brasserie Broubec Inc. and in July 1993 merged with Unibroue. It was bought by Canadian brewer, Sleeman Breweries Ltd., in 2004. Sleeman, in turn, was purchased in 2006 by Sapporo.[2]