Carlsberg Britvic
Template:Short description Template:Other uses Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox company Carlsberg Britvic is a British subsidiary of Carlsberg Group, created in January 2025 by the merger of Carlsberg's UK business (including the former Marston's plc breweries) and Britvic plc.
History
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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The merger was approved by the Competition and Markets Authority on 9 October 2020.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2024, Marston's sold their 40% share in CMBC to Carlsberg for £206m in order to focus on running the pub business.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The deal to acquire Marston's 40% stake in CMBC was completed on 21 July 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Carlsberg then bought the soft drinks company Britvic plc for £3.3bn, merging it into Carslberg Marstons, with the news group called Carlsberg Britvic in January 2025.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Operations
Beers
The company originally owned and operated three breweries. This was reduced to two<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> after the Banks's Brewery in Wolverhampton closed in September 2025.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- The Marston's Brewery in Burton upon Trent, established in 1834<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- The Carlsberg Brewery in Northampton established in 1974<ref name=boak>Template:Cite news</ref>
Marston's 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.<ref name="Hornsey1999">Template:Cite book</ref>
Half of all the company's beer is bottled.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Marston's Pedigree is brewed in Burton-upon-Trent: it is a 4.3% ABV bitter.<ref name="Oliver2011" /> Introduced in 1952, it is Marston's flagship brand, selling 150,000 hectolitres in 2010.<ref name="Oliver2011">Template:Cite book</ref> 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.<ref name="Oliver2011" /> The Burton Union sets were retired in 2024.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Carlsberg has been producing Special Brew in a modern production plant at Northampton since 1974.<ref name=boak/>
Other beers distributed by the company include the 1664 brand, which was acquired from Heineken N.V. in June 2023.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Soft drinks
The Britvic subsidiary owns 39 brands in the UK include Robinsons, Tango, R. White's, and J2O – as well as being the licensed bottler for PepsiCo products within the UK.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Sponsorship
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.<ref name="autogenerated2">Template:Cite web</ref>