Global beer giants will continue to target craft brewers for fear of losing market share but further opportunities within the UK market may be limited, according to Peter Hansen, of Sapient Corporate Finance.
Hansen, who advised the shareholders of Meantime on its sale to SABMiller last year, was speaking following the completion of AB InBev’s acquisition of Camden Town Brewery. An Ab InBev spokesman confirmed to M&C that the acquisition closed yesterday.
Hansen said: “There is little doubt that consumer interest in craft beer will continue to grow, which creates challenges but also opportunities for global brewers of premium and mainstream products, who will look for acquisitions for fear of losing market share. The sale of Peroni and Meantime is likely to change the UK brewing landscape in the next 12 months. However, the UK craft market remains highly fragmented with few businesses offering the scale, innovation and consistent product quality of Meantime and Camden unlike the US craft beer market, which is much more developed.”
Camden also announced its new director of brewing this week – former SAB brewing manager Ian Jones. Jones started with Whitbread in 1986 before joining South African Breweries in 1995 and in 2002 setting up his own business, Global Beverage Solutions.
