Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) has said it intends to sell its Ringwood Brewery in southern England.
Under proposals outlined by CMBC on Wednesday (7 June), the Ringwood Brewery and the Ringwood ale brands – including Razorback, Old Thumper, Boondoggle and Fortyniner – are to be put on the market for sale.
CMBC also plans to close its logistics operations at Ringwood, relocating deliveries to nearby depots at Tiverton, Farnborough and Cardiff.
Paul Davies, CEO of CMBC, said the decision had been made in light of the scale of investment it believes necessary at the site, which is located in Hampshire, near the New Forest.
“This is not a decision we have taken lightly – we have incredible respect for the effort and dedication of the team at Ringwood,” he said. “However, the brewery’s location in a residential area makes expansion complicated, and as such the investment required to bring its capacity and capability up to the level we need for our business is too great to be a viable path for CMBC.
“To ensure our future growth and simplify the business, we are looking for a new owner for Ringwood in the brewing industry, including its excellent range of local ales.”
He added: “We have informed colleagues affected by these proposals at the brewery and our priority now is to support them through this process, and to begin the search for the right buyer for Ringwood.”
Ringwood Brewery was founded in 1978, and, after outgrowing its original premises, moved to the current site in 1986. The brewery was bought by Marston’s in 2013, for £19.2m.
Eight staff work at the brewery, with five others in a shop on the site. A further 20 are employed in logistics. CMBC declined to comment on the potential impact any sale could have on jobs.
The decision to sell the Ringwood Brewery is the latest piece of consolidation to take place involving CMBC since the joint venture was formed through the merger of Carlsberg’s UK operations and Marston’s in 2020.
In September, CMBC announced it was to close the Jennings Brewery in Cockermouth, north-east England, with the production of its beers moving to CMBC’s Marston’s Brewery in Burton.
Jennings Brewery was established in 1828 and had been situated in Cockermouth since 1874. The brewery was acquired by Marston’s in 2005 but had seen “a significant decline in volumes” since the pandemic, according to CMBC.
In November, CMBC struck a deal to sell its Eagle Brewery to S.A. Damm, with 67 production staff moving over to the Spanish production group.
That sale included an arrangement for beers produced at the Eagle Brewery including Birrificio, Hobgoblin and Angelo Poretti to remain a part of CMBC’s portfolio.
Last month, CMBC sold its London Fields microbrewery to UK pub and bar operator Grace Land Group for an undisclosed sum. Grace Land intends to use the site to launch its own Saint Monday beer brand.
