Independent London Brewery in Investment Talks with Beer Giant Heineken

Dutch beer giant Heineken and London favourite Beavertown are in investment talks, according to Mergermarket.

Heineken is first in line to acquire a minority stake in Beavertown, following the news that the London craft brewery is set to brew two of its most popular beers abroad to keep up with demand while future-proofing for a newer, larger brewery called Beaverworld. While minority, Mergermarket’s sources say that the stake is likely to be significant, “close to half the company, maybe a bit less.”

Beavertown posted a net profit of £1.3m at the end of March 2017, having started life in 2012 under the direction of Logan Plant, son of Led Zeppelin’s Robert. Having sought financial backing for several months, this investment news follows the company’s supply partnership with Waitrose, that brings the brewery’s three most popular beers into 270 stores nationwide. Two of those beers — Neck Oil, a session IPA, and Gamma Ray, an American pale ale — will soon be brewed in Belgium in order to maintain supply as well as preparing Beavertown for its move into Beaverworld, a brewery and “visitor experience” slated for opening in 2019. Heineken’s investment would most likely be used for this expansion, with the brand having experience in the sector from buying a stake in Brixton Brewery in 2018.

Neither company have commented on the story.