After Carlsberg’s recent announcement to “sell or close” its UK craft beer divison (inside.beer, 8.12.2021), Kirin and its Australian subsidiary Lion is the next international brewer to perform its own Brexit.
Lion Little World Beverages, the global craft beer division of Lion, today announced that it has appointed advisers to review options for its Lion Little World Beverages UK business. The business that comprises of London based Fourpure Brewing, acquired in July 2018 (inside.beer, 9.7.2018) and Yorkshire based Magic Rock, bought in April 2019 (inside.beer, 1.4.2019) as well as imported brands Little Creatures and New Belgium Voodoo Ranger are offered for sale.
The company said it had encountered “difficult trading conditions over the past two years” in the UK. In addition, Lion has “made very significant craft beer investments in both Australia and the United States,” and “like any business, we need to make choices as to where we continue to direct our investment,” Lion Little World UK MD Gordon Treanor said in a statement.
Two months ago, Lion acquired Bell’s Brewery, the seventh largest craft brewery in the United States (inside.beer, 10.11.2021) which joined New Belgium Brewing, the fourth largest craft brewery in the United States bought in 2019 (inside.beer, 19.11.2019)
“While no decisions have been made, we need to determine how to best set Magic Rock and Fourpure up for success in the coming years. Our team have been informed of the review and we are committed to supporting them through this time,” Treanor added.
“We have continued to invest in the business and have been building momentum. We believe that the business is well placed to benefit, particularly as trading conditions improve,” he concluded.
