Online craft beer and cider distributor EeBria has had “certain trade and assets” acquired by Beer52 a day after it was placed in administration.
EeBria made a point of selling drinks from independent producers and getting them sent to venues direct from the brewery or cidery.
Today’s agreement has been made by Craft Beer Holdings Ltd, which is a subsidiary of Beer52. It says the deal secures the future of an “important route to market for independent brewers across the UK and Europe”.
“We are acutely aware of how difficult the current trading environment is for breweries, brands, producers, and customers,” said Fraser Doherty, chief executive of Beer52.
“Now, more than ever, the industry we love needs EeBria’s revolutionary platform to thrive, connecting suppliers and customers and getting more people drinking great beer.”
Launched in 2013, EeBria disrupted the UK’s beer distribution industry with an online marketplace that uses advanced technology to match brewers and customers directly. In the intervening decade, the platform’s growing reach has seen it become one of the industry’s most important routes to market, facilitating around £7m of trade each year.
Darron Anley, founder of Siren Craft Brew, said: “This news just shows how tough this sector is right now. EeBria have been a great partner for many years and it’s very sad to see another big name in the industry hit the wall like this. Rising costs, inflation and the pressure on all our wallets has been truly relentless.
“However we are delighted to see our friends at Beer52 stepping in to save this important route to market. We have worked with Beer52 for many years and we are confident that EeBria customers and suppliers will continue to receive great service alongside a new innovative vision for the business which we are sure Beer52 will bring to the table.”
