Belgian brewery Duvel Moortgat has increased its stake in Italian brewery Birrificio del Ducato to 70% following a previous acquisition in 2016.

With the agreement, Duvel Moortgat will continue to provide support to Birrificio del Ducato to expand its presence internationally. The company will also invest in a new production line.

Duvel Moortgat CEO, managing director and director Michel Moortgat said: “We share the same values and we believe that quality, craftsmanship and innovation are the best basis for long-term success.

“Together we aim to ensure that these speciality beers can be enjoyed in the rest of the world as well..”

“We will bring our experience built up over multiple generations to supporting Birrificio del Ducato and together we aim to ensure that these speciality beers can be enjoyed in the rest of the world as well.”

The Belgian and Italian teams are led by Giovanni Campari and Manuel Piccoli, the founders of Birrificio del Ducato.

Campari and Piccoli said: “After a long period of being active in Birrificio del Ducato, in the course of essentially ten years of sacrifice, struggle and financial investment, which was also accompanied by respect and recognition in the artisan beer industry, we received a number of proposals from various large beer companies.”

Established in 2007, Birrificio del Ducato brews a wide range of beers, including Via Emilia Keller Pils.

Family owned business Duvel Moortgat has several breweries across Europe and the US. Its brewery portfolio includes Duvel Brewery in Puurs, Achouffe Brewery in Houffalize, De Koninck Brewery in Antwerp, Liefmans Brewery in Oudenaarde, Bernard Brewery in the Czech Republic, Brewery ’t IJ in Amsterdam and Birrificio del Ducato in Italy.

In the US, the company’s portfolio comprises Brewery Ommegang in New York, Boulevard Brewing Company in Kansas City and Firestone Walker in California.