Company returns to former name North American Breweries; announces new CEO
WAYNE, Pa., Sept. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Saothair Capital Partners, LLC (“Saothair”), a private equity firm focused exclusively on investing in middle-market manufacturing and industrial companies, announced it has completed the acquisition of CCR American Holdings, Inc. (“FIFCO USA”) from Distribuidora La Florida, S.A., a subsidiary of Heineken N.V., through a newly-formed affiliate. Following the transaction, the company will return to its former name, North American Breweries (“NAB”), to better align the company’s identity with the deep regional heritage of its brand portfolio.
Headquartered in Rochester, New York, North American Breweries is one of the leading brewers in the U.S., brewing, packaging, marketing, and selling its branded beer and ready-to-drink beverages through an independent network of wholesalers. Its branded portfolio includes Labatt, Genesee, Seagram’s Escapes, Lipton Hard Iced Tea and Bubly Wine Refresher. The company is also one of the largest U.S. providers of full-service contract brewing for beer and other alcoholic beverages. North American Breweries operates out of the Genesee Brewery, one of the oldest and largest continually operating breweries in the U.S. and employs over 700 employees. The Genesee Brewery includes a new brewhouse, new filters and fermentation tanks, a dedicated cold block facility for fermenting and finishing and a state-of-the-art high-speed canning line.
Peter Bodenham will join the company as Chief Executive Officer, bringing over 25 years of experience in executive commercial roles across InBev, NAB and Sleeman Breweries. He held senior marketing roles at NAB and its predecessor from 2007 to 2014, including Vice President of Marketing from 2009 to 2014, and has since led marketing for Sleeman Breweries.
“I couldn’t be more excited about this next chapter for North American Breweries,” said Rich Lozyniak, Co-founder and Operating Partner at Saothair and former CEO of NAB from 2009 to 2014. “Having led this business myself, I know firsthand what makes NAB special. I look forward to supporting Peter and the broader management team as they take the business forward into an exciting new chapter. Our focus is to provide the stability and resources this organization needs to keep serving its employees, customers and communities well into the future.”
Mr. Bodenham adds, “I am thrilled to return to North American Breweries at such a pivotal moment for the company. This is a business with an extraordinary legacy and deep regional roots, and I see real opportunity ahead. We will continue to invest in the Genesee Brewery and the brands that define this portfolio. We have a talented workforce, loyal customers and strong supplier partners, and I look forward to working alongside all of them to build a sustainable, growing business for the long term.”
“We’re thrilled to have Peter lead North American Breweries as CEO,” said Kevin Madden, Co-founder and Managing Partner at Saothair. “We’re grateful to Heineken for making this opportunity possible, and we’re excited to be a part of the future of the company. Saothair is committed to providing the resources needed to make NAB a success.”
“After carefully evaluating a range of potential options over the past few months, we are pleased to announce this agreement with Saothair. Their deep brewing expertise, long-term investment approach, and commitment to growing the business make Saothair the right steward for the next chapter of North American Breweries,” said Rolando Carvajal, CEO of Distribuidora La Florida.
Jenner & Block LLP provided legal counsel to Saothair on the transaction. Heineken was represented by Sidley Austin LLP for legal counsel and Bank of America as financial advisor.
About Saothair Capital Partners
Saothair is a private investment firm focused exclusively on investing in middle-market manufacturing and industrial businesses. Saothair makes controlling equity investments in companies across various industries, including paper & packaging, plastics, metals processing, automotive, building products, healthcare-related products, food & beverage and other manufacturing. Saothair works in partnership with each key stakeholder invested in the business’s long-term success. For more information, please see www.saothair.com.
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SOURCE Saothair Capital Partners, LLC
