JDW signs 20-year deal with Budweiser, ends 41 years with Heineken UK

29-Nov-2021 - Last updated on 29-Nov-2021 at 11:00 GMT

Stronger partnership: Budweiser Brewing Group President Paula Lindenberg and JD Wetherspoon CEO John Hutson

JD Wetherspoon (JDW) will end its 41-year association with Heineken UK after announcing a new 20-year supply partnership with Budweiser Brewing Group that will begin on 15 December – it has also signed deals with other industry heavyweights.

The new deal will mean Budweiser will be the largest beer supplier across the JDW estate.

JDW chairman Tim Martin said: “Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I will now become our biggest supplier with new beers Budweiser, Corona and Leffe Blonde, in addition to its existing products Stella Artois and Bud Light – as well as a range of bottled beers.

“We are also pleased to have agreed long-term supply deals with BrewDog, Westons Cider, Carlsberg and Molson Coors.

Supporting each other

“Wetherspoon will continue to sell a wide range of traditional ales and craft beers from regional and micro brewers at competitive prices, we’re very pleased to have such a brilliant group of brewers supporting our efforts.”

Draught ciders Strongbow and Strongbow Dark Fruits were due to be replaced by Stowford Press Apple and Stowford Press Mixed Berries, made by Westons Cider, and John Smith’s bitter replaced by Molson Coors’ Worthington's bitter.

The deal is said to show Budweiser Brewing Group’s ongoing commitment to support the hospitality sector in the long-term during what has been a challenging 18 months for the industry. The brewer has made significant investments at its breweries across the UK over the past year and expanded its infrastructure to not only support this partnership, but to cater for the growing demand in the on-trade sector.

During the height of the pandemic, Budweiser Brewing Group launched the Save Pub Life initiative, which encouraged communities to safeguard local pubs and saw the campaign funnel £1.5m directly to hospitality venues, this was further supported by the Stella Tips initiative that marked the reopening of pubs and restaurants in 2021 and saw Budweiser Brewing Group add £1 to staff tips for every pint of Stella Artois sold.

Budweiser Brewing Group and JDW have enjoyed a relationship in the UK for more than 40 years and Stella Artois has already been crowned the most popular draught beer for JDW, but this deal will strengthen the partnership for the longer term.

Strengthening the partnership

Budweiser Brewing Group president Paula Lindenberg said: “We are so excited to strengthen our partnership with JD Wetherspoon.

“Demand for our premium portfolio of beers continues to grow and this provides us with a fantastic opportunity to invest at scale in the UK’s vibrant hospitality sector and meet the strong demand nationwide for our beers.

“At Budweiser Brewing Group, we have the perfect recipe for success across Wetherspoon pubs – we have a strong, leading portfolio that caters to evolving consumer trends, especially as people opt for more premium options post-Covid, and we have a fully integrated and experienced team that will provide high-quality, expert service to every venue.”