British soft drinks brand Cawston Press has acquired Loah, a fruit flavoured 0.5% beer, thus expanding into the no/low alcohol beer category.
The business was acquired for an undisclosed amount. Loah founder, Hugo Tapp, will continue to manage the business, overseeing operational responsibility for brewing, innovation and brand development.
The integration with Cawston Press will allow Loah to benefit from shared resources in supply chain, distribution and marketing. The terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
LOAH beers are naturally brewed to under 0.5% ABV. The range includes Peach Pale Ale, Blood Orange IPA, and Lime Lager, which are both gluten-free and vegan.
Steve Kearns, Managing Director of Cawston Press, commented: “This move is a true reflection of consumer drinking habits today. The lines between soft drinks and no/low alcohol are blurring, and this makes LOAH a great strategic fit for us – it’s a brand built on fruit, flavour, and quality, just like Cawston Press.
"We see a real opportunity to help build LOAH through our established grocery and impulse distribution channels, whilst extending the portfolio we can offer to on-trade customers, helping operators create interesting, independent-led menus crafted to serve multiple drinking occasions.”
Hugo Tapp, Founder of LOAH, added: “Over the last five years, we’ve watched no/low-alcohol beer shift from a token presence to a dynamic category. Working with Cawston Press will allow us to take our beers to the next level, with a reformulated range that tastes better than ever.
"Joining the Cawston family gives LOAH the chance to reach real scale while staying true to its mission: to make alcohol-free beer more fruitful.”