ALLIED AND SLEEMAN MERGE
By Adnews Staff
Allied Strategies of Vancouver and Sleeman Breweries of Guelph, Ont. have merged to create the fourth-largest beer maker in Canada. Under the deal Sleeman's owners hold 57% of the merged company. Allied owns Okanagan Spring Brewery. Sleeman shares began trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange this week. Sleeman has ambitions to overtake Moosehead Brewing Co. of Dartmouth, NS and become Canada's third largest brewer. The company plans to boost production by buying a Quebec brewery. Advertising will continue to be handled separately for Sleeman and Okanagan beers, Sleeman media coordinator Cameron Mitchell told Adnews yesterday. Okanagan uses consultant Graham Catchlove, former vice-president and general manager of the now defunct Vancouver office of J. Walter Thompson. Sleeman's English advertising is done by Promanad Communications of Toronto. Quebec advertising is created by Diesel Marketing Communications & Design of Montreal, which took over the business a month ago from Martel et Compagnie of Montreal. Sleeman beer is sold in Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and B.C. Its brands include Cream Ale, Silver Creek Lager and Premium Light. Ten-year-old Okanagan sells its beer only in B.C. Its brands include Okanagan Pale Ale, Lager, Classic Brown Ale, Porter, Stout and Wheat.