Carlsberg Britvic

In 2020, Marston's plc merged its brewing business with Carlsberg UK (the United Kingdom arm of Carlsberg Group), in a joint venture valued at £780m. Marston's took a 40% stake and received up to £273m in cash. The deal involved Marston's six breweries and distribution depots, but not its 1,400 pubs.{{Cite news |title=Marston's and Carlsberg UK announce £780m merger |work=BBC News |date=22 May 2020 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52770262 |access-date=2020-05-23 }}{{cite web |last1=Davies |first1=Rob |title=Brewers Carlsberg UK and Marston's announce merger |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/may/22/beer-brewers-carlsberg-and-marstons-announce-uk-merger |website=The Guardian |access-date=23 May 2020 |date=22 May 2020}} The merger was approved by the Competition and Markets Authority on 9 October 2020.{{cite web |last1=Pugh |first1=James |title=Regulator approves Carlsberg’s £780m joint venture with Marston’s |url=https://www.expressandstar.com/news/business/2020/10/09/marstons-and-carlsberg-brewing-merger-to-be-completed-after-getting-cma-approval/ |website=Express & Star |access-date=9 October 2020 |language=en |date=9 October 2020}}

In 2024, Marston's sold their 40% share in CMBC to Carlsberg for £206m in order to focus on running the pub business.{{Cite web|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/news/business/2024/07/09/future-of-brewing-of-bankss-in-wolverhampton-faces-review/|title=Beer giant fails to commit to future of Wolverhampton brewery after Marston's sale announced|first=John|last=Corser|date=9 July 2024|website=www.expressandstar.com}} The deal to acquire Marston's 40% stake in CMBC was completed on 21 July 2024.{{cite web |last1=Corser |first1=John |title=Wolverhampton pubs group Marston's £206m deal completes - full details |url=https://www.expressandstar.com/news/business/2024/07/31/marstons-206m-deal-completes/ |website=Express & Star |access-date=3 December 2024 |language=en |date=31 July 2024}}

Carlsberg then bought the soft drinks company Britvic for £3.3bn, merging it into a single company called Carlsberg Britvic in January 2025.{{cite web |last1=Houlton |first1=Cara |title=Carlsberg agrees to buy Britvic in £3.3bn takeover deal |url=https://www.grocerygazette.co.uk/2024/07/08/carlsberg-buy-britvic/ |website=Grocery Gazette |access-date=2 December 2024 |date=8 July 2024}}

File:Marstons Brewery - geograph.org.uk - 1483525.jpg

The company owns and operates three breweries:{{cite web |title=Our locations & breweries |url=https://www.carlsbergmarstons.co.uk/about-us/our-locations-breweries/ |website=Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company |access-date=7 November 2024 |language=en}}

• The Banks's Brewery in Wolverhampton.
• The Marston's Brewery in Burton upon Trent.
• The Carlsberg Brewery in Northampton.

File:The Marston's Arena, Northwich Victoria FC - geograph.org.uk - 996146.jpg]]

The brewery was one of the last major brewers to use Burton Union Sets, a system whereby fermentation barrels and troughs were linked together by pipework.{{Cite book |last=Hornsey |first=Ian Spencer |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DvNhR0xfHtMC&pg=PA127 |title=Brewing |publisher=Royal Society of Chemistry |year=1999 |isbn=978-0-85404-568-6 |page=127}}

Half of all the company's beer is bottled.{{Cite web |title=Marston's unveil new £7.4m bottling line |url=http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Marstons-unveil-new-74m-bottling-line-20140131153418.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222205841/http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Marstons-unveil-new-74m-bottling-line-20140131153418.htm |archive-date=22 February 2014 |access-date=30 March 2015 |website=Burton Mail |df=dmy-all}} Marston's Pedigree is brewed in Burton-upon-Trent: it is a 4.3% ABV bitter. Introduced in 1952, it is Marston's flagship brand, selling 150,000 hectolitres in 2010.{{Cite book |last=Oliver |first=Garrett |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gYVLHMmplRcC&pg=PA573 |title=The Oxford Companion to Beer |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-19-536713-3 |page=573}} It was the only beer to use the oak Burton Union System so that it was fermented in wood; the ingredients are mineral-enriched Burton Water, malted barley, and Fuggles and Goldings hops. The Burton Union sets were retired in 2024.{{cite news |last1=Mason |first1=Jessica |title=CMBC faces criticism on halting brewing history at Burton-on-Trent |url=https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2024/01/cmbc-faces-criticism-on-halting-brewing-history-at-burton-on-trent/ |access-date=4 February 2025 |work=The Drinks Business |date=22 January 2024}}

Marston's had been brewing Thwaites' beers since early 2014 after Thwaites main brewery in Blackburn was shut down. Marston's acquired Thwaites' main brewing arm, including the Wainwright brand, in March 2015 for £25.1 million.{{cite web |title=Marston's in £25m swoop for Thwaites' brewing business |url=https://www.expressandstar.com/business/business-picks/2015/03/31/marstons-in-25m-swoop-for-thwaites-brewing-business/ |website=Express & Star |access-date=22 April 2017 |language=en |date=31 March 2015}}

Other beers distributed by the company include the 1664 brand, which was acquired from Heineken N.V. in June 2023.{{cite news |last1=Halliday |first1=Edward |title=Northampton-based Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company and HEINEKEN UK announce UK deal for Kronenbourg 1664 |url=https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/business/northampton-based-carlsberg-marstons-brewing-company-and-heineken-uk-announce-uk-deal-for-kronenbourg-1664-4102398 |access-date=8 November 2024 |work=Northampton Chronicle & Echo |date=13 April 2023}}

Soft drinks include Robinsons, Tango, R. White's, and J₂O.{{cite web|url=https://www.britvic.com/our-brands/|title=Our brands|publisher=Britvic|access-date=1 February 2025}}{{efn|For further information on the company's soft drinks brands and manufacturing operations, please visit the page on Britvic.}}

From 2007 to 2017, Marston's sponsored the England and Wales Cricket Board and Marston's Pedigree was the official beer of the England Cricket team. They were exclusive beer advertisers and suppliers at home test matches.{{Cite web |title=Marston's renews as official beer of England cricket team |url=http://www.sportspromedia.com/news/marstons_renews_as_official_beer_of_england_cricket_team/ |access-date=30 March 2015 |website=sportspromedia.com|date=25 October 2013 }}

• Brewers of Burton
• British regional breweries using wooden casks

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.carlsbergmarstons.co.uk/ Carlsberg Marstons Brewing Company]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Marston's Brewery}}

Category:Beer brands

Category:Breweries in England

Category:British companies established in 1834

Category:Companies based in Wolverhampton

Category:Food and drink companies established in 1834

Category:Food and drink companies established in 1890