A SPANISH brewing giant has picked up an iconic British ale brand from pub and brewery group Greene King.
The Barcelona-based company Damm, chaired by Demetrio Carceller Arce, announced the deal on Tuesday as part of its growing international expansion strategy.
Old Speckled Hen, one of Britain’s best-known premium ales, will now be brewed at Damm’s Eagle Brewery in Bedford. The Spanish brewer acquired the facility in 2022.
The move deepens Damm’s presence in the British market, where exports already account for around 30% of the company’s business.
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In a statement, Damm said the acquisition ‘reaffirms the company’s commitment to the British market and boosts its internationalisation strategy.’
The deal gives the Catalan brewer control of the Hen range, including Old Golden, Crafty, Master and low-alcohol Hen.
Ales are central to British pub culture, known for their rich flavours and traditional brewing methods.
Damm already sells Estrella Damm, Daura gluten-free beer and Damm Lemon in the UK.
Damm said Old Speckled Hen shares its heritage-focused identity as it marks its 150th anniversary this year.
The British ale was created in 1979 by Morland Brewery to mark the 50th anniversary of the MG car factory in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.
Damm heavily invested in its Eagle Brewery site since taking control three years ago.
Located between London and Birmingham, it is the company’s first brewery outside the Iberian Peninsula.
Damm invested over €80 million to modernise the plant, adding a new canning line and production for non-alcoholic and soft drinks.
The investments doubled the brewery’s production capacity to 1.8 billion litres per year.
They also underline the Spanish company’s ambition to become an even bigger player in the British drinks market.
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