Diageo to distribute Red Stripe from August
Wells & Young’s will continue to brew and package Red Stripe for the UK on and off trade at its plant in Bedford, in a deal that is expected to secure “long term growth” for the brand.
The deal was first reported by BigHospitality in October last year, when Wells & Young's also lost its contract to distribute Corona Extra in the UK.
At the time the loss of the two brands was expected to hit Wells & Young's hard, as they account for around 40 per cent of turnover - around £85m of business.
Nigel McNally, managing director of Wells and Young’s, said: “It makes sense for Red Stripe to continue to be brewed and packaged in Bedford. The repatriation of sales, marketing and distribution of Red Stripe to Diageo allows us to focus more squarely on our ale portfolio. With a multi-million pound campaign just launched for our flagship Bombardier beer, we will continue to drive our ale brands which also includes Young’s and Courage.”
A spokesperson for Diageo said: “Wells and Young’s have managed RED STRIPE with great care over many years, from expert brewing through to innovative marketing and we are committed to continuing and building on their great work.”
