Carlsberg Marston’s sells Eagle Brewery to Spanish brewer Damm

Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) has announced plans to sell the Eagle Brewery in Bedford to its long-term partner S.A. Damm, the Spanish brewer of the popular premium beer Estrella Damm.

The Eagle Brewery will become Damm’s first brewery outside of mainland Europe and only the second Damm brewery outside of Spain.

CMBC said it is working together with Damm on the transition and expects the sale to complete by the end of this year.

As part of the agreement, the Eagle Brewery’s beers will remain part of CMBC’s portfolio, ranging from world beers Birrificio Angelo Poretti and Brooklyn Pilsner to British ale brands Hobgoblin and Wainwright.

CMBC and Damm have enjoyed a long, successful partnership distributing Estrella Damm, with the UK being one of Estrella Damm’s key export markets. Much of the partnership’s activity has taken place at the Eagle Brewery, where Estrella Damm has been packaged for the UK market since 2010.

All 67 production staff working at the Eagle Brewery will transfer over to Damm’s workforce in the UK. CMBC’s logistics operation in Bedford will continue from its current location on the site for around the next 12 months, before moving to a new location.

“I am grateful to all of my colleagues and their counterparts at Damm for their collaboration throughout the process of making this agreement a reality,” Paul Davies, CMBC chief executive, said.

“This significant moment for the brewery, becoming Damm’s first brewery outside mainland Europe, has been made possible thanks to the brilliant and dedicated team at the Eagle Brewery, who we will be supporting throughout the transition.”

Demetrio Carceller Arce, executive president of Damm, added: “This deal will strengthen our position in the UK market and help drive 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.”