Marston's Brewery
 | |
| Company type | Limited company |
|---|---|
| Carlsberg Britvic | |
| Industry | Brewery, Soft drink |
| Predecessor | Carlsberg UK • Britvic • Brewery business of Marston's plc |
| Founded | November 2, 2020[1] |
| Headquarters | Wolverhampton, England |
Key people | Paul Davies, CEO |
| Products | Pepsi, 7UP, Tango, Robinsons, J2O, Fruit Shoot, Plenish, Jimmy’s Iced Coffee, Carlsberg Danish Pilsner, 1664, Birrificio Angelo Poretti, Brooklyn Brewery, Hobgoblin, Pedigree, Wainwright |
| Owner | Carlsberg Group |
| Website | www |
Carlsberg Britvic is a British subsidiary of Carlsberg Group, created in January 2025 by the merger of Carlsberg's UK business (including the former Marston's plc breweries) and Britvic, acquired by Carlsberg Group in 2024.
History
[edit]In 2020, Marston's plc merged its brewing business with Carlsberg UK (the United Kingdom arm of Carlsberg Group), in a joint venture valued at £780m. Marston's took a 40% stake and received up to £273m in cash. The deal involved Marston's six breweries and distribution depots, but not its 1,400 pubs.[2][3] The merger was approved by the Competition and Markets Authority on 9 October 2020.[4]
In 2024, Marston's sold their 40% share in CMBC to Carlsberg for £206m in order to focus on running the pub business. Carlsberg then bought the soft drinks company Britvic for £3.3bn, merging it into a single company called Carlsberg Britvic.[5] The deal to acquire Marston's 40% stake in CMBC was completed on 21 July 2024.[6]
Operations
[edit]
The company owns and operates three breweries:[7]
- The Banks's Brewery in Wolverhampton.
- The Marston's Brewery in Burton upon Trent.
- The Carlsberg Brewery in Northampton.
Brewing methods
[edit]The brewery was one of the last major brewers to use Burton Union Sets, a system whereby fermentation barrels and troughs were linked together by pipework.[8]
Beers
[edit]
Half of all the company's beer is bottled.[9] Marston's Pedigree is brewed in Burton-upon-Trent: it is a 4.3% ABV bitter.[10] Introduced in 1952, it is Marston's flagship brand, selling 150,000 hectolitres in 2010.[10] It is the only beer to use the oak Burton Union System so that it is fermented in wood; the ingredients are mineral enriched Burton Water, malted barley, and Fuggles and Goldings hops.[10]
Marston's acquired Thwaites' main brewing arm, including the Wainwright brand, in March 2015 for £25.1 million. Marston's had been brewing Thwaites' beers since early 2014 after Thwaites main brewery in Blackburn was shut down.[11]
Other beers distributed by the company include the 1664 brand, which was acquired from Heineken N.V. in June 2023.[12]
Sponsorship
[edit]From 2007 to 2017, Marston's sponsored the England and Wales Cricket Board and Marston's Pedigree was the official beer of the England Cricket team. They were exclusive beer advertisers and suppliers at home test matches.[13]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Our History". Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ "Marston's and Carlsberg UK announce £780m merger". BBC News. 22 May 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- ^ Davies, Rob (22 May 2020). "Brewers Carlsberg UK and Marston's announce merger". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- ^ Pugh, James (9 October 2020). "Regulator approves Carlsberg's £780m joint venture with Marston's". Express & Star. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ Houlton, Cara (8 July 2024). "Carlsberg agrees to buy Britvic in £3.3bn takeover deal". Grocery Gazette. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- ^ Corser, John (31 July 2024). "Wolverhampton pubs group Marston's £206m deal completes - full details". Express & Star. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
- ^ "Our locations & breweries". Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
- ^ Hornsey, Ian Spencer (1999). Brewing. Royal Society of Chemistry. p. 127. ISBN 978-0-85404-568-6.
- ^ "Marston's unveil new £7.4m bottling line". Burton Mail. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
- ^ a b c Oliver, Garrett (2011). The Oxford Companion to Beer. Oxford University Press. p. 573. ISBN 978-0-19-536713-3.
- ^ "Marston's in £25m swoop for Thwaites' brewing business". Express & Star. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
- ^ Halliday, Edward (13 April 2023). "Northampton-based Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company and HEINEKEN UK announce UK deal for Kronenbourg 1664". Northampton Chronicle & Echo. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
- ^ "Marston's renews as official beer of England cricket team". sportspromedia.com. 25 October 2013. Retrieved 30 March 2015.