Waterloo Brewing Company
A Canadian-owned-founded brewery business based in Kitchener, Ontario, known for the Waterloo craft portfolio, the Laker beer family, and other beverage brands.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Waterloo Brewing Company is a brewery and beverage business headquartered in Kitchener, Ontario. The company was formerly known as Brick Brewing Co. and adopted the Waterloo Brewing name at the corporate level in 2019. It developed from one of Ontario’s early modern craft-brewing businesses into a multi-brand producer with operations spanning mainstream beer, craft beer, cider, and ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages. The company’s Waterloo Brewing identity represents its craft-oriented division and is associated with a range of beers including Waterloo Craft Lager, Waterloo Amber, Waterloo Dark, Waterloo IPA, and several fruit-forward radlers. The company also built a substantial mainstream business around the Laker family, including Laker Lager, Laker Light, Laker Ice, Laker Red, and Laker Strong. Other brands and products associated with the business have included LandShark Lager Canada, Red Cap Ale, Seagram Craft Cider, and Seagram-branded vodka coolers and other ready-to-drink products. Waterloo traces part of its public identity to its history as Brick Brewing. Its business development included manufacturing and brand activity at facilities in Kitchener and Formosa, Ontario. In January 2017, the company offered its Formosa Springs Brewery for sale. The transaction was associated with the plant’s reopening under new ownership, with the buyer reportedly interested in keeping the 40,000-square-foot facility operating. The Formosa brand and Red Baron product lines were also sold as part of this restructuring. The company subsequently emphasized the consolidation and expansion of its Kitchener operations. In late 2018, it announced an approximately C$9.6 million investment in a tasting room, small-batch brewhouse, expanded warehouse and production space, and an enlarged retail store at its Bingemans Centre Drive site. The project formed part of a broader multi-year capital program that was reported to have brought investment in the business to nearly C$30 million over five years and approximately C$45 million over the preceding six years after later projects were completed. These figures describe announced or reported investment, rather than current financial performance. Waterloo also has a place in Canadian beer history through Pride Lager, which it produced briefly in the early 1990s. The product was marketed specifically to gay consumers and is described as Canada’s first beer marketed in that way. It was not a newly formulated beer; rather, an existing company brew was packaged and sold under an alternate label. In December 2022, Waterloo Brewing announced that it would be acquired by the Carlsberg Group. Carlsberg completed the transaction on March 7, 2023, through its Canadian subsidiary. The acquisition moved Waterloo from an independent Canadian-owned public-company context into the Carlsberg group while preserving its relevance as an Ontario brewing and beverage operation. The company’s listed brands and production activities now sit within a larger international brewing portfolio, although detailed current organizational arrangements are not established by the supplied reference material.
History
Waterloo Brewing Company is the modern corporate successor to Brick Brewing Co., a Canadian brewing business associated with Kitchener, Ontario. The company’s development reflects the expansion of Ontario’s independent brewing sector from craft beer into a broader beverage portfolio. It has been described as Ontario’s first modern craft brewery and, before its acquisition, as one of the province’s largest Canadian-owned brewers. The company’s portfolio evolved beyond a single local beer identity. Its Waterloo division developed craft-oriented products such as lager, amber ale, dark beer, IPA, and radlers, while the Laker family supplied mainstream lager variants. The business also operated or marketed additional beer and alcoholic beverage lines, including LandShark Lager Canada, Red Cap Ale, Seagram Craft Cider, and Seagram ready-to-drink products. This combination gave the company exposure to craft, mainstream, cider, and cooler categories. A notable episode in the company’s history occurred in the early 1990s, when it briefly produced Pride Lager. The beer was marketed specifically to gay consumers and is identified in the reference material as Canada’s first beer marketed to that audience. Pride Lager was not a new recipe; it was an existing company beer sold under a different label. The episode nevertheless made the brewery part of Canadian beer and LGBTQ+ marketing history. The company operated facilities in Kitchener and Formosa. In January 2017, it placed Formosa Springs Brewery in Formosa, Ontario, on the market. The sale resulted in the reopening of the approximately 40,000-square-foot plant under new ownership. The Formosa brand and the Red Baron lines were also sold. At the same time, Waterloo planned to consolidate operations in Kitchener and expand its main plant. In late 2018, the company announced a major investment at its Bingemans Centre Drive operation in Kitchener. The approximately C$9.6 million project included a tasting room, a small-batch brewhouse, expanded warehouse and production facilities, and a larger retail store. The announcement formed part of a wider investment program, with reported cumulative spending approaching C$30 million over five years and approximately C$45 million over six years after the projects were completed. The initiatives were intended to strengthen the Kitchener base, increase production and visitor-facing capabilities, and support the Waterloo craft platform. In the middle of 2019, Brick Brewing announced that it would change its corporate name to Waterloo Brewing Ltd. The change made Waterloo, already one of the company’s principal consumer-facing identities, the name of the broader corporate business. The company continued to manage a portfolio that included Waterloo craft products, Laker beers, and other alcoholic beverages. The next major ownership change came in December 2022, when Waterloo announced an agreement to be acquired by the Carlsberg Group. Carlsberg completed the acquisition on March 7, 2023, through its Canadian subsidiary. The transaction ended Waterloo’s period as an independent Canadian-owned brewer and brought its operations and brands into an international brewing group. The supplied reference material does not establish subsequent changes to individual brands, facilities, or management beyond identifying the company’s administration as including George Croft and Russell Tabata.
- 2023
Carlsberg acquisition completed
[1]Carlsberg completed the acquisition of Waterloo Brewing through its Canadian subsidiary on March 7.
- 2022
Carlsberg acquisition announced
[1]Waterloo Brewing announced that it would be acquired by the Carlsberg Group.
- 2019
Brick Brewing adopts Waterloo Brewing corporate name
[1]The company announced that its corporate name would change from Brick Brewing to Waterloo Brewing Ltd.
- 2018
Kitchener expansion investment announced
[1]The company announced an approximately C$9.6 million investment in visitor facilities, brewing capacity, warehousing, production, and retail space at its Kitchener operation.
- 2017
Formosa Springs Brewery put up for sale
[1]Waterloo offered its Formosa, Ontario, brewery for sale, leading to the plant’s reopening under new ownership.
- 2008
Founder Jim Brickman resigns
[1]Founder Jim Brickman resigned from the company.
- 1990
Pride Lager marketed to gay consumers
[1]The company briefly sold an existing beer under the Pride Lager label, described as Canada’s first beer marketed specifically to gay consumers.
Products and positioning
A Canadian brewery portfolio combining Ontario craft-beer credentials with value-oriented mainstream beer and broader alcoholic ready-to-drink offerings. The Waterloo name emphasizes craft production and local brewery heritage, while Laker and associated brands address mainstream beer and adjacent beverage segments.
Craft beer
Waterloo craft beer
The Waterloo craft portfolio includes Waterloo Craft Lager, Waterloo Amber, Waterloo Dark, and Waterloo IPA. The range is built around recognizable beer styles and an Ontario brewery identity. Additional seasonal and limited offerings have included Double Double Doppelbock, Salted Caramel Porter, Pineapple Radler, Citrus Radler, and Vanilla Porter.
Radler
Waterloo Radlers
Waterloo has produced fruit-oriented radlers including Grapefruit Radler and Raspberry Radler. The wider range has also included Pineapple and Citrus variants. These products extend the Waterloo name beyond traditional beer styles into lighter, flavored alcoholic beverages.
Mainstream beer
Laker
Laker is identified as Waterloo Brewing’s most successful brand family. Its listed variants include Laker Lager, Laker Light, Laker Ice, Laker Red, and Laker Strong, giving the portfolio coverage across standard, light, ice, red, and stronger lager styles.
Lager
LandShark Lager Canada
LandShark Lager Canada is another beer brand associated with the company’s broader portfolio. The supplied reference identifies it as a separate offering from the Waterloo craft and Laker families.
Cider and ready-to-drink beverages
Seagram alcoholic beverages
The company’s other beverage products have included Seagram Craft Cider, Seagram Wildberry Vodka Cooler, Seagram Island Time Anytime, and Seagram Island Time Tiki Mule. These products broadened the business from brewed beer into cider and packaged ready-to-drink alcohol.
Ale
Red Cap Ale
Red Cap Ale is an additional beer line associated with Waterloo Brewing. The reference material lists it among the company’s other products but does not provide detailed information on its formulation, distribution, or current availability.
Controversies
2019
Waterloo Brewing discloses social-engineering cyberattack and fraudulent transfer
Waterloo Brewing disclosed that a social-engineering cyberattack involving creditor-employee impersonation and fraudulent wire-transfer requests resulted in approximately CDN$2.1 million being transferred to a fraudulent account. The company said it did not believe its systems had been breached or customer personal information was at risk, and reported that it had not recovered the funds to date.
Marketing campaigns
- 1990Pride Lager
Canada
Waterloo briefly marketed one of its existing beers under the Pride Lager label for gay consumers. The initiative is notable as an early targeted beer-marketing effort in Canada.
Outcome. The product was a short-lived alternate-label offering rather than a separately formulated beer.
Brand decisions
2022
Agreement to be acquired by Carlsberg GroupM&ABackground
Waterloo Brewing announced a proposed change in ownership after operating as an independent Canadian brewing business.
Action taken
The company agreed to be acquired by the Carlsberg Group.
Aftermath
Carlsberg completed the transaction on March 7, 2023, through its Canadian subsidiary.
2019
Corporate rebranding as Waterloo BrewingStrategyBackground
The company’s Waterloo identity had become central to its craft-brewing presentation and consumer portfolio.
Action taken
Brick Brewing announced that it would change its corporate name to Waterloo Brewing Ltd.
Aftermath
The Waterloo name became the principal corporate identity while the company continued to operate multiple beer and alcoholic beverage brands.
2018
Kitchener facility expansionStrategyBackground
Waterloo sought to concentrate production and strengthen its main Kitchener operation.
Action taken
The company announced an approximately C$9.6 million investment in a tasting room, small-batch brewhouse, expanded warehouse and production facility, and expanded retail store.
Aftermath
The project formed part of a wider multi-year capital investment program at the Kitchener site.
Announced facility investment. C$9.6 million announced investment (2018 announcement)
2017
Sale of Formosa Springs BreweryStrategyBackground
Waterloo reviewed its facility footprint and put the Formosa Springs Brewery in Formosa, Ontario, up for sale.
Action taken
The facility and associated business interests were sold, while the plant later reopened under new ownership. The Formosa brand and Red Baron lines were also sold.
Aftermath
The move supported the company’s plan to consolidate operations in Kitchener while keeping the Formosa plant in operation under its buyer.
Recent events
Waterloo Brewing discloses social-engineering cyberattack and fraudulent transfer[2]
Waterloo Brewing disclosed that a social-engineering cyberattack involving creditor-employee impersonation and fraudulent wire-transfer requests resulted in approximately CDN$2.1 million being transferred to a fraudulent account. The company said it did not believe its systems had been breached or customer personal information was at risk, and reported that it had not recovered the funds to date.
Sources2 sources
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