SABMiller makes foray into UK craft beer market

SABMiller will “explore export opportunities” for Meantime Brewing Company’s ales and lagers following its acquisition of the brewery.

Nick Miller, CEO at Meantime, will remain in the role and called the move an opportunity to work with a “great company” that is focused on craft beer in the UK.

He said: “SABMiller shares our passion for putting great beer first, and making, selling and marketing it responsibly to beer aficionados worldwide.

“The team at SABMiller have stressed how important our culture is to our success to date, and have a strong track record in retaining the special identities and heritage of the local businesses they’ve bought in the past.”

Volume increase

Meantime, which brews a number of popular beers including London Pale Ale, London Lager, Yakima Red and Pilsner, experienced a 58% increase in the volume of its beer sales in 2014.

That is a figure that considerably outpaced the UK beer market’s 1% growth during the same period. 

The acquisition, which completes in early June, also includes Meantime’s retail sites.

These range from its newly-opened tasting rooms and brewery shop to its popular Greenwich Union pub and pop-up Beerbox pub.

It also includes Meantime’s growing Brewery Fresh tank beer concept, now featured in 26 pubs across London, which complements SABMiller’s Pilsner Urquell unpasteurised tank beer that feature in a four other London pubs.

Meantime has also committed to opening a pilot brewery that is said will become a centre for SABMiller’s European innovation and new product development.

Consumer call

Alastair Hook, brewmaster and founder of Meantime Brewing Company, said that the “great, modern craft brewers that are growing sales exponentially” are responding to a consumer call.

He explained: “I see the term ‘Craft’ disappearing within ten years as the brewing world recalibrates itself and aligns itself with a passion for great beer made well.

“‘Craft’ could disappear as it reforms and redefines what is the new world of beer, a world that provides choice to an inspired and responsive consumer.”

Sue Clark, managing director of SABMiller Europe, added: “Meantime has been at the forefront of the modern craft beer movement in the UK and brews an outstanding range of beers across a variety of styles.

“Nick Miller, Alastair Hook and their team have built a strong sense of pride and identity within Meantime, which has an excellent reputation for brewing consistently high quality beers and for industry-leading innovation.”

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