Comment: A move up a gear

Over the past two years Marston's strategy has been very clear: to put together the best portfolio of premium cask beers in the land - with a local twist. In other words, the intention was to have a national cask brand (Marston's Pedigree) backed up by strong local favourites. The purchases of Jennings and Ringwood have firmly pointed the company in this direction.

However, the deal to buy Refresh UK has moved Marston's strategy up a gear. In a remark at the end of a conversation with me last week Alistair Darby, managing director of Marston's Beer Company, suggested that Marston's had "gone plural". It was an off-the-cuff way of stating that Marston's Beer Company is looking to be much more than an owner of a great cask portfolio. It is, in fact, aiming to be a drinks brands company.

Darby openly professed his enthusiasm for continuing to market and sell Green Goblin cider (which is made by Thatchers) and, most interestingly, for keeping Refresh's deal to import and sell German lager Löwenbräu. Not only that, but he stated that he would be open to entering into discussions with Löwenbräu's global brand owner InBev to see what other InBev brands (currently not on sale in the UK) could be brought into the Marston's stable under a similar agreement.

Just look at the Alexander Keith's range in Canada or Sedrin lager from China and you see what could be achieved - strong local brands from across the world.

As if to highlight the point, these beers are categorised as "local champions" on the InBev global website. Something that Marston's (which already has local champions in Jennings Cumberland Ale, Ringwood Best and now Brakspear Bitter) might well identify with…