BBG to take over San Miguel's UK distribution from CMBC
Having already distributed Mahou in the UK since 2021, the BBG agreement will see the Spanish brewer’s two leading brands under one umbrella from Wednesday 1 January 2025.
Mahou San Miguel managing director Alberto Rodríguez-Toquero said: “This announcement marks a new chapter for Mahou San Miguel in the UK, as we partner with BBG to bring the world’s most loved Spanish beer to a larger number of UK consumers.
“The agreement further extends the relationship between our two companies; the UK is an important market for San Miguel and we are confident BBG will succeed in fulfilling our ambitious plans for the brand.”
Toast to the future
Under the deal, BBG, which is a subsidiary of AB InBev, will distribute and promote San Miguel’s range of world beers in the UK, including San Miguel Especial, San Miguel 0.0 and San Miguel Gluten Free.
AB InBev CEO Europe Jason Warner added: “At BBG, we’re proud to sell some of the nation’s favourite beers.
“We are delighted to bring San Miguel into our portfolio of brands. Our customers can now look forward to experiencing the exceptional quality that both Mahou San Miguel and Budweiser Brewing Group are known for, as we toast to a future with more cheers.”
Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company’s (CMBC) long-term exclusive licensed production and distribution agreement with San Miguel will end on Tuesday 31 December 2024.
Under the current agreement between the businesses, CMBC will continue as the exclusive licence partner for Mahou San Miguel until the contract ends, continuing to exclusively brew, distribute and market the brand as normal until this time.
Smooth transition
CMBC said it would work closely with Mahou San Miguel and its new licence partner over the coming months to ensure a “smooth transition” despite its “disappointment” with the decision.
It comes as CMBC recently commenced a new 10-year partnership with the Stonegate Group, the UK’s largest pub operator, to manage all keg and cask deliveries to their extensive managed estate.
CMBC CEO Paul Davies said: “Naturally, we are disappointed by the decision, and are working to mitigate the impact on our business.
“We are incredibly proud of our many achievements over more than 15 years with the brand, massively driving distribution and significantly growing San Miguel brand volume.”
