Heineken has taken a minority stake in British craft brand Brixton Brewery to help it expand capacity and move to a new site.
In a statement on its website, Brixton Brewery said the deal marks an ‘exciting partnership’, which will enable it to build a new brewery in south London.
Four years on from launching, the brand has around 15 employees and its beers have gone on sale in Italy and Hong Kong. However, it said it now cannot keep up with demand.
It has found a new unit 600 metres from its current brewery which will allow it to take its capacity from 12,000 pints a week to 60,000 and ‘enable greater control over the process’. The expanded site will see the brand develop new beers and innovate through its Ltd Edn range.
In a statement, Brixton Brewery said: “To realise this unique and ambitious chance to grow in our home we needed serious investment. It was with pretty much perfect timing that we were contacted by Heineken UK. They had noticed us, liked what we were doing and wanted to see if we could work together somehow.
“We invited some of the Heineken team for a brew day and were impressed by their knowledge, passion and insight. We got to know them slowly, felt that we had common ground, and built a relationship of mutual trust and respect. We were delighted that they believed in our vision too.
“They wanted to support us through investment in the new brewery, and eventually, through helping us get our beers out there to be enjoyed by more people. We are hugely proud of our success story, and see this partnership as the ideal way to keep the important things – the beer character, Brixton and our team – the same, while growing and evolving.”
It is expected the expanded site will create 30 jobs and allow the brewery to add cans to its portfolio for the first time. There will also be a tap room which will be used as a community space for events.
The percentage of the business which will be owned by Heineken and the value of the deal has not been disclosed.
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