Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) will acquire the UK rights for French beer brand Kronenbourg from Heineken UK.

The deal, effective from 1 June, will see CMBC acquire all rights to produce and distribute Kronenbourg 1664 lager, which is owned globally by Carlsberg Group.

Under the agreement, Heineken UK will continue to brew and pack Kronenbourg 1664 under contract, before moving to CMBC in 2024. Heineken has held the Kronenbourg licence since 2008.

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Paul Davies, CEO of CMBC, said: “Kronenbourg 1664 is an excellent beer with a distinctive provenance, that is growing in both volume and value with strong brand awareness amongst consumers. We look forward to sharing our exciting plans to relaunch the brand with our partners in the on- and off-trade and cementing Kronenbourg 1664 as a leader in the category.”

Boudewijn Haarsma, managing director of Heineken UK, added: “We’ve been a strong custodian of Kronenbourg in the UK over the last fourteen years, maintaining product quality and investing in its marketing and distribution as part of our portfolio. During this time, we have also been investing behind our premium brands, such as Birra Moretti, and taking ownership of super premium beers Beavertown and Brixton.

“We’ve also exciting plans in the UK for our Spanish lager Cruzcampo. With a great brand range to offer our customers, now is the right time for Kronenbourg 1664 to enter its next chapter and we’re pleased to have reached this agreement with Carlsberg.”

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