Japanese multinational Kirin acquires Yorkshire micro via Australian subsidiary Independent British breweries continue to attract attention from acquisitive foreign brewers, and Magic Rock of Huddersfield is the latest target. Kirin's subsidiary Lion announced today that they have acquired 100% of the brewery for an undisclosed sum. Less than a year ago, Kirin purchased London brewery Four...

"Budweiser Brewing Group UK & I" is the new name for AB InBev in the UK and Ireland. This subsidiary of the world's largest brewing company, headquartered in Leuven, owns two large industrial breweries in Great Britain where it brews Budweiser, Stella Artois, Boddington's and other subsidiary brands. It also owns the Camden Town Brewery in north London, and a Goose Island brewpub in the e...

Brewers of Bavaria lager had previously owned 35% of Dutch microbrewery Brouwerij De Molen of Bodegraven in Zuid Holland announced today that it has passed complete ownership of the company to Swinkels Family Brewers, the Dutch giant formerly known as Bavaria. Swinkels had owned 35% of the company since 2015, an announcement De Molen made in 2016. In the statement, De Molen said the move was...

Japanese multinational acquires its second London brewery, for £250m. London brewer Fuller, Smith & Turner announced today that it was preparing to sell its production and wholesaling operations, including the Griffin Brewery, to Asahi. The company will retain its pub estate and will establish a "strategic alliance" with Asahi to ensure that pubs remain stocked with Fuller's beers. Included...

Madrid brewery sells 51% to Dutch multinational Heineken's Spanish operation has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Madrid's La Cibeles craft brewery. This marks the latest in a long history of Heineken buying roughly half of formerly independent brewing companies, going back to Paulaner in 2002 (since reduced to 30%), Lagunitas in 2015 (since increased to 100%), Brixton in 2017 a...

Regional Browar Namysłów purchased for €117m Heineken's Polish operation, Grupa Żywiec, has moved to increase its share of Browar Namysłów, a brewery headquartered in western Poland, near Wrocław. The Dutch multinational already controlled 60% of the company but is now spending zl500m to take total ownership. Namysłów brands Braniewo and Zamkowe will now take their place alongside Żywiec, Warka...

Megabrewer slashes payout to shareholders Last week, AB InBev announced it would be cutting the dividend paid to its shareholders by 50% this year, a move which caused the already poorly-performing stock to instantly drop a further 10% in value. The company is still carrying a debt of $109 billion following its acquisition of SAB Miller in 2016, and reducing the dividend is one way in which the...

New body to represent craft brewing interests of nine countries The independent craft brewing associations of nine European countries have announced successful discussions towards the formation of a new body, the Independent Brewers of Europe (IBE), whose aim is to work together to promote and advance the mutual interests of their members with the European institutions and media. Bodies fro...

AB InBev beats Sierra Nevada and Boston Beer in US microbrew sector  Financial website The Motley Fool reported this week that AB InBev is now America's biggest craft brewer. The veracity of this statement depends, of course, on one's definition of "craft". The Brewers Association, for example, sets a generous production limit for a brewery's beers to be considered craft, one which AB InBev far...

Australian acquisition follows similar purchases in Colombia and UK ZX Ventures, the disruption arm of AB InBev, has bought Australian drinks retailer BoozeBud for an undisclosed sum. An announcement today on the website of Australian subsidiary Carlton & United Breweries emphasised the improvement in customer experience which is the driving force behind the move: a push to make online beer...