Morning Brew Has Acquired Media Brand Express Checkout

The media company purchased the intellectual property of the newsletter and podcast brand in an all-cash deal.

Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Coffee

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Morning Brew has acquired 100% of the media brand Express Checkout in an all-cash transaction. Founders Nate Rosen and Jenna O'Brien will join Morning Brew while continuing to operate their brand as a standalone entity.

Why it matters

The acquisition allows Morning Brew to integrate independent creators into its network by leveraging their existing multi-channel content formats. Express Checkout will gain access to established ad sales, event production, and audience development infrastructure.

Morning Brew secured full ownership of Express Checkout's intellectual property, which encompasses two weekly newsletters and one weekly podcast. The deal follows Axel Springer's acquisition of Bisnow in March 2026.

The players

Morning Brew

A business and lifestyle media company owned by Axel Springer that produces newsletters and digital content.

Express Checkout

A media brand established four years ago that publishes newsletters and a podcast.

Axel Springer

A multinational publishing and media company that owns Morning Brew and acquired the media brand Bisnow in early 2026.

Nate Rosen

The founder of Express Checkout who will now work full-time for Morning Brew.

Jenna O'Brien

A co-founder of Express Checkout who joined the brand two years ago and will move to Morning Brew full-time.

The details

Express Checkout will maintain its editorial autonomy as a standalone brand run by its co-founders, who will receive salaries, benefits, and revenue shares. Morning Brew intends to use this model to drive further acquisitions of other creator-led media properties.

Nate Rosen founded Express Checkout in 2022.
Jenna O'Brien joined as a co-founder in 2024.
Axel Springer acquired Bisnow in March 2026.
Morning Brew announced the acquisition of Express Checkout on October 5, 2026.

Culture Shift

The deal signals a broader industry trend toward consolidating independent, creator-led digital media brands into larger publishing networks. This acquisition follows the pattern set by the 2026 acquisition of Bisnow by Axel Springer, further expanding the parent company's media portfolio.

Readers of Express Checkout newsletters can expect the content to remain largely unchanged under the new ownership structure. The brand's existing subscription and content schedules will continue to operate as usual under the current co-founders.

The takeaway

The acquisition highlights the increasing value of niche creator-led media in a competitive digital landscape. Readers should watch for more independent newsletters to fold into larger platforms as media companies seek to capture specific audience segments.