Who owns BIRRA MORETTI?

BIRRA MORETTI is owned by

HEINEKEN N.V.

First Brewed

1859

Origin

Italy, Europe

Website

Birra Moretti is an Italian beer brand that was created in 1859 in the city of Udine, Italy, then a part of the Austrian Empire. It was initially founded by Luigi Moretti and his family, and known as the Beer and Ice Factory. Moretti had predicted that an Italian beer brand would do well, given that the movement for Italian unification was coalescing, and there was growing resentment for the Austrian rule in the Italian-speaking area.

The brand is famous for its logo of a mustachioed man drinking a beer from a stein. According to company legend, a member of the Moretti family asked permission from the man to take his photo, and the man asked for only a drink in exchange. However, in 1956 it came to light that the image actually came from a photograph by German photographer Erika Groth-Schmachtenberger, who contacted the company after she saw the photo being used in its ads. The company has since had several famous Italian actors portray the “Mustachioed Man” in its ads.

The Moretti family held the company until 1989, when they sold a 70% stake in the business to Canadian company Labatt Brewing Co. for an estimated $80 million USD. In 1995, Labatt was purchased by Belgian consortium Interbrew, and the company again became European owned. One year later, Heineken purchased Birra Moretti from Interbrew, and following a ruling from Italy’s antitrust authority, sold off the brewery and moved production of Birra Moretti to its other Italian facilities.

Since taking over the brand, Heineken has added several other beers to the brand, including three radlers.