Greene King, which has been owned by CK Asset Holdings of Hong Kong since 2019, has agreed to sell the Old Speckled Hen family of beer brands to Damm UK, the British subsidiary of SA Damm, owner of Estrella Damm. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The deal includes the full Old Speckled Hen portfolio, comprising Old Speckled Hen, Old Golden Hen, Old Crafty Hen, Old Master Hen and the low-alcohol variant of Old Speckled Hen. The portfolio accounted for more than half of Greene King’s UK off-trade beer sales, making the disposal a significant strategic move rather than a routine brand transaction.
Old Speckled Hen was originally created by Morland Brewery in 1979 to mark the 50th anniversary of the MG Car Company’s move from Oxford to Abingdon. Greene King acquired the brand as part of its takeover of Morland in 1999, and it subsequently became one of the UK's best-known bottled ale brands.
During a transition period, production will continue at Greene King’s historic Westgate Brewery in Bury St Edmunds before being transferred to Eagle Brewery in Bedford.
The transaction is closely linked to Greene King’s broader restructuring of its brewing business. The brewer announced in 2024 that it intended to close its more than 200-year-old Westgate Brewery and relocate production to a new GBP 40 million (USD 54 million) facility at Suffolk Business Park. Construction began in 2025, with the new brewery expected to enter service in 2027.
Greene King said it plans to withdraw from the UK off-trade beer market and concentrate on supplying its own pubs and the wider on-trade sector. The company has cited changing consumer habits and the continuing decline of the UK cask ale market as key factors behind the move.
The sale also helps explain the economics behind Greene King’s new brewery project. Industry observers believe the new brewery will be significantly smaller than the existing Westgate Brewery, reflecting lower production requirements as the company focuses on pubs and on-premise sales rather than supermarket distribution.
Nick Mackenzie, CEO of Greene King, said the company’s renewed brewing strategy is centred on supplying pubs, where it sees its strongest long-term opportunities. He described the move as part of a plan to position Greene King’s brewing business for sustainable long-term growth.
For Damm, the acquisition expands its UK portfolio beyond lager and reconnects the Bedford brewery with its historic ale-brewing heritage. Luke White, Managing Director of Damm UK, described Old Speckled Hen as an iconic British ale brand with a loyal consumer following.
The sale represents another example of a well-known British beer brand moving into foreign ownership. London Pride became part of Asahi in 2019, while AB InBev acquired Camden Town Brewery in 2015. Meantime Brewing Company was acquired by SABMiller in 2015 and subsequently became part of AB InBev following the merger between the two brewing groups.
The future of the historic 12-acre Westgate Brewery site remains under discussion. Greene King is working with local authorities on redevelopment plans that could include housing, while several listed brewery buildings are expected to be preserved. Current proposals include converting the landmark 1930s brewhouse into a microbrewery, beer café, event venue and visitor attraction, allowing a brewing presence to remain on the site after large-scale commercial brewing operations are transferred to the new facility.
