Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) has announced a deal in which Carlsberg Group will acquire the UK rights for French beer brand Kronenbourg from Heineken UK. The transfer of the licence will be effective from 1st June.
The deal will see Carlsberg Group acquire all rights to produce and distribute the well-known premium lager in the UK, via CMBC.
The Kronenbourg 1664 brand is owned globally by Carlsberg Group. Under the agreement, Heineken UK will continue to brew and pack Kronenbourg 1664 under contract, before it moves to CMBC in 2024.
A three-year commercial arrangement has also been agreed to continue to list and provide the brand to Heineeken UK’s Star Pubs & Bars.
Heineken UK has held the licence for the lager since 2008, following the acquisition of Scottish & Newcastle by Carlsberg and Heineken.
Kronenbourg 1664 is one of the biggest premium lagers in the on- and off-trade in the UK and is widely available in both retail channels. Famed for its ad campaigns featuring Eric Cantona over the last few years, Heineken UK has built the brand to become one of the most recognisable beers.
“Supporting brands and innovating in the premium category is a key pillar of our strategy, and adding Kronenbourg 1664 to our enviable portfolio is an incredible opportunity to achieve this,” said CMBC chief executive Paul Davies.
“Kronenbourg 1664 is an excellent beer with a distinctive provenance, that is growing in both volume and value with strong brand awareness amongst consumers. We look forward to sharing our exciting plans to relaunch the brand with our partners in the on- andoff-trade and cementing Kronenbourg 1664 as a leader in the category.”
