Scottish & Newcastle prepares for barrage of new brand launches

Scottish & Newcastle, holding company of the UK’s largest brewer, Scottish Courage, is looking at launching in the UK some of the beer brands it acquired when it bought Kronenbourg from French company Danone.

Scottish & Newcastle, holding company of the UK’s largest brewer, Scottish Courage, is looking at launching in the UK some of the beer brands it acquired when it bought Kronenbourg from French company Danone.

The brewer is reviewing its newly acquired portfolio, which includes continental brands such as Kanterbrau, Maes, Cristal, Grimbergen, Burgs and Judas, as well as a 24 per cent stake in Peroni, Italy’s number two brewer. Peroni’s Nastro Azzurro brand and Maes have limited on-trade availability in the UK.

The &£1.7bn deal, which was cleared by the European Commission in July, makes S&N the second largest brewer in Western Europe and places it in a position to expand both in the UK and on the continent.

The company is understood to be looking at introducing new brands in the UK market as well as building sales of its own beer brands, notably Fosters lager, in France and Belgium.