Pub giant to sell famous ale brand amid fears over brewery’s future

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Greene King has agreed to promote its widespread Outdated Speckled Hen model to Damm UK, the proprietor of Estrella Damm, because the brewing large shifts its focus away from producing beer for grocery store cabinets.

The numerous deal is predicted to result in the long-term closure of the Westgate Brewery in Bury St Edmunds, though Greene King is concurrently growing a brand new web site throughout the city.

Damm UK, the British arm of Spanish brewer SA Damm, will purchase your complete Outdated Speckled Hen household of beers, which incorporates Outdated Golden Hen, Outdated Artful Hen, Outdated Grasp Hen, and Low Alcohol Outdated Speckled Hen.

To make sure a seamless transition and keep constant flavour, Damm UK will initially proceed brewing the beers on the Westgate Brewery.

Nevertheless, manufacturing will subsequently be relocated to Damm’s not too long ago constructed brewery in Bedford, finally ensuing within the Westgate facility’s closure.

Regardless of the change in possession and manufacturing location, Outdated Speckled Hen will stay available in main UK supermarkets and different retailers.

This divestment kinds a part of a broader strategic realignment for Greene King, which goals to pay attention extra intently on its intensive pub property.

The Suffolk-based agency stated it’ll transfer away from producing beer to be bought within the off commerce – the business time period used for retailers together with supermarkets.

Outdated Speckled Hen manufacturers account for greater than half of Greene King’s beers bought in UK retailers.

Greene King, which runs 2,500 pubs, eating places and lodges, will proceed to make cask ale and craft beer together with Greene King IPA and Abbot Ale however will concentrate on promoting these in pub venues.

The group stated it’ll push forward with the technique from summer time 2027 with the opening of a brand new £40 million brewery in Bury St Edmunds.

Nick Mackenzie, chief government of Greene King, stated: “Brewing beer in Bury St Edmunds to be bought in pubs is what we’ve been doing for greater than 200 years.

“By making this core to our renewed brewing technique, we’re proposing optimising our brewing operations to concentrate on profitable the place we’re strongest, delivering our beers to the pubs the place our clients most like to drink them and setting Greene King up for long-term worthwhile progress.”

Greene King stated its Scottish Belhaven brewing enterprise won’t be impacted by the adjustments.

Luke White, managing director of Damm UK, stated: “Outdated Speckled Hen is an iconic British ale model with a wealthy heritage and dependable following, and we’re proud that Greene King has chosen Damm UK to take the model ahead into its subsequent chapter.

“We now have nice respect for the historical past Greene King has constructed round Outdated Speckled Hen during the last 25 years and look ahead to working carefully collectively all through the transition interval to make sure continued success for the model, clients and shoppers alike.”