Spanish brewer acquires Eagle Brewery in the UK
Spanish brewer Damm has acquired the Eagle Brewery in Bedford in the UK. The brewery, which previously belonged to Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC), is Damm’s second overseas brewery and the first outside the Iberian Peninsula. It will strengthen the company’s position in one of its main international markets.
Damm’s new facility in the United Kingdom has a production capacity of 1 million hectolitres per year, mainly for draught beer, and employs 67 people in production, who will become part of Damm’s UK workforce. Opened in 1976, the brewery is strategically located just over 90 kilometres from the centre of London and 120 kilometres from Birmingham, England’s two largest cities.
The agreement represents a new milestone in Damm’s solid internationalisation strategy, led by executive chairman Demetrio Carceller Arce. 30% of the company’s activity is now outside Spain and its brands are in over 130 countries. The deal to acquire the Bedford brewery reinforces the company’s internationalisation project and gives Damm production facilities in a market where its portfolio of beers continues to gain market share year after year.
Demetrio Carceller Arce, Damm’s executive chairman, commented: “Over the last few years, we have strengthened the presence of our broad portfolio of beers in bars and restaurants around the world, backed up by our support for gastronomy and promotion of the Mediterranean lifestyle. This agreement will strengthen our position and help drive the growth of our brand in the UK, a key market for the company’s international growth. The British public can currently enjoy our products in more than 10,000 bars and restaurants, a figure we expect to continue to grow in the coming years.”
Paul Davies, CEO of CMBC, said: “We are pleased to be able to share the news of this deal with our long-term partner Damm, building on our successful relationship to help ensure the brewery’s prosperity. I am grateful to all my colleagues and their counterparts at Damm for their collaboration throughout the process of making this agreement a reality. This significant moment for the brewery, becoming Damm’s first brewery outside mainland Europe, has been made possible by the brilliant and dedicated team at the Eagle Brewery, who we will be supporting throughout the transition.”
Damm in the UK
British market has become one of the greatest drivers of Damm’s internationalisation strategy since the company decided to enter the United Kingdom market at the end of the 1980s, on the back of their brands’ appeal to British tourists in Spain. The company has consolidated its presence in the market over the years and currently offers a wide range of beers, including Estrella Damm, Inedit, Daura, Free Damm, Free Damm Lemon, Free Damm Tostada, Complot, Damm Lemon and its special edition Christmas beer. Victoria, the beer of Malaga, has also recently been launched in the UK.
