The historic Bedford-based Eagle Brewery, has been sold to the Spanish beer giant, S.A. Damm, renowned for its popular premium lager, Estrella Damm.
All 67 production colleagues currently employed at the Eagle Brewery are to move over to Damm’s workforce in the United Kingdom.
The sale marks a significant development in the brewery’s history, as Calsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) is divesting the Eagle Brewery, located on Havelock Street, Bedford, to its long-standing partner, S.A. Damm. The acquisition the Eagle Brewery will become Damm’s inaugural brewery outside of mainland Europe, marking only the second Damm brewery beyond Spain.
In a recent visit to the brewery Mayor of Bedford, Tom Wootton, accompanied by several Borough councillors, was pleased to report that jobs were being safe-guarded and that a large industrial site in the town would continue to operate.
Wootton said: “This is splendid news for Bedford – we hopefully will have a few more companies announcing their investing plans in the town, in the near future, making Bedford great place to do business.”
CMBC and Damm have developed a prosperous partnership in distributing Estrella Damm to the UK, which stands as one of Estrella Damm’s principal export markets. Since 2010, the Eagle Brewery has been the packaging hub for Estrella Damm in the UK beer market.
Under the terms of the agreement, the Eagle Brewery’s array of beers will continue to be a part of CMBC’s product portfolio. This portfolio encompasses an assortment of world beers, including Birrificio Angelo Poretti and Brooklyn Pilsner, as well as well-known British ale brands like Hobgoblin and Wainwright.
All 67 production colleagues currently employed at the Eagle Brewery have transitioned to Damm’s workforce in the UK and will receive comprehensive support during this period. CMBC’s logistics operations in Bedford will continue at their current location on the site for approximately the next 12 months before relocating to a new facility.
Paul Davies, CEO of CMBC, expressed his satisfaction with the deal, emphasising the importance of their enduring partnership with Damm and their shared commitment to the brewery’s prosperity. He expressed gratitude to both his colleagues and those at Damm for their collaborative efforts in making this agreement a reality. Davies underscored the significance of this moment for the brewery as it becomes Damm’s inaugural brewery outside of mainland Europe, crediting the exceptional and dedicated team at the Eagle Brewery for enabling this transition.
Demetrio Carceller Arce, Executive President of Damm, echoed his enthusiasm for the acquisition, jointly announced with their partner CMBC, and extended a warm welcome to the Eagle Brewery’s 67 employees, who are now considered part of the Damm family.
Bedford Borough
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