SABMiller Acquires UK’s Meantime Brewing
SABMiller, the second-largest brewer in the world, has acquired London-based Meantime Brewing Co. for an undisclosed amount, and entered the U.K. beer market.
Founded in Greenwich, London, in 1999 by brewmaster Alastair Hook, Meantime is regarded as one of the pioneers of the U.K.’s modern beer movement. Its value as a small brewer and its continued growth—volume of beer sales at Meantime grew 58 percent last year, according to a statement—give SABMiller an access point into the fastest-growing segment of the U.K. beer market.
“[CEO] Nick Miller, Alastair Hook and their team have built a strong sense of pride and identity within Meantime, which has an excellent reputation for brewing consistently high-quality beers and for industry-leading innovation,” said Sue Clark, managing director, SABMiller Europe. “This expertise will boost our strategy to develop beers that appeal to more people, including women, and which can be attractive alternatives to wine and spirits.”
The acquisition was completed in June 2015, and Miller and Hook will remain in leadership at the brewery. SABMiller says it plans to grow Meantime’s sales nationally and look to European markets. Meantime will also open a pilot brewery that will become a center for SABMiller’s European innovation and new-product development.
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