Following news in October that HEINEKEN, on behalf of Drinkworks, acquired five brands from Asahi to strengthen its Australian portfolio, the deal has now received all final regulatory approvals and was officially completed on 5th January 2021.
Subsequently, Heineken N.V. (Heineken) has now acquired cider brand Strongbow from Asahi Group Holdings Limited (Asahi) in Australia, along with two other cider brands, Little Green and Bonamy’s. The company has also gained the perpetual licenses on beer brands Stella Artois and Beck’s in Australia.
Under the terms of the divestment, and to ensure no disruption for customers over summer, Asahi and Drinkworks have agreed that Carlton & United Breweries will continue to make the divested brands available for purchase and delivery through Carlton & United Breweries (on behalf of Drinkworks) until further notice.
Strongbow was first produced by H.P Bulmer, which was founded in 1887 by Percy Bulmer, the 20-year old son of a local clergyman. Today, Strongbow is Heineken’s leading cider brand globally, sold in more than 40 countries. The acquisition of the Strongbow brand in Australia marks a milestone as it reunites with the global Strongbow portfolio after 17 years.
Jacco van der Linden, President of Heineken APAC said, “we are thrilled to bring the Strongbow brand in Australia home to Heineken and scale up our beer and cider portfolio in one of the world’s leading beer and cider markets. This acquisition shows that Heineken remains active in pursuing growth where we see opportunities that align with our long-term strategy.”
The five brands being acquired are now distributed in Australia by Drinkworks, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Heineken. This will strengthen Drinkworks’ existing premium beer and cider portfolio in Australia which includes Tiger, Sol, Monteith’s beer and cider, and Orchard Thieves cider.
Sales Contact Details:
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QLD – +61 447 600 126
WA – +61 447 600 119