Damm strengthens itself in the United Kingdom with the purchase of Old Speckled Hen beer
The company is betting on a British market that already accounts for 30% of the group's activity
BarcelonaThe Damm brewery group opens a new chapter in its internationalization strategy initiated four years ago. After acquiring the brewery The Eagle Brewery, located in the English town of Bedford, the company announced this Tuesday a new foray into the British market. Damm has bought – for an unspecified amount – the British beer Old Speckled Hen, one of the premium brands within the ale style drinks segment in the United Kingdom, which until now belonged to the company Greene King.
The incorporation of Old Speckled Hen thus reinforces the Catalan group's portfolio in the United Kingdom, where it also markets its own brands such as Estrella Damm, Daura, and Damm Lemon. For the Barcelona-based group, the operation "reaffirms the company's commitment to the British market" and, at the same time, "drives its internationalization strategy." Today, the British market already accounts for 30% of the company's total activity.
As Damm detailed in a statement, its intention is to produce the entire range of Old Speckled Hen beers at The Eagle Brewery factory, facilities where, over the last four years, the company has invested more than 80 million euros.
After a transition period, which internal sources indicate will be "a few months," Damm's factory in the United Kingdom is expected to absorb all production. In addition to Old Speckled Hen products, improvements in the plant – the first and, until now, only one Damm has outside the Iberian Peninsula – will allow for the production of non-alcoholic beverages and soft drinks. As a result of Damm's investments, the facility located between London and Birmingham has doubled its maximum production capacity to reach 1.8 billion liters annually.
For Damm's director in the United Kingdom, the choice of Old Speckled Hen seeks to "reconnect" The Eagle Brewery factory "with its historical roots in the production of British beers." "This is a significant step in our journey in the United Kingdom," he added, recalling the inauguration of the new facilities last October.
Rising results
Damm closed the 2024 financial year –the last available– with a turnover of over 2,000 million euros and a net profit of 175 million euros, 35% more than the previous year. During the results presentation, the group's executive chairman, Demetrio Carceller, pointed precisely to internationalization as "one of the company's growth levers".
In parallel, the company signed an agreement with Nestlé in 2024 to produce, market and distribute the Nestea brand in Spain, Andorra, Gibraltar and Portugal, a move aligned with the strategy of diversification and the search for new growth opportunities in complementary segments.