London Fields Brewery has become the latest British craft brewing firm to be sold to a multinational industry giant, after Carlsberg (CPH:CARL-B) announced its acquisition on Monday.
The deal follows that of Camden Town Brewery, which was bought by AB InBev at the end of 2015 and Meantime, which is now owned by Asahi.
Danish brewing giant Carlsberg announced the deal on Monday, but neglected to disclose the agreed price. The deal was struck in unusual circumstances, with founder Jules De Vere Whiteway-Wilkinson facing court charges after allegedly not paying taxes.
London Fields Brewery was raided by Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs in 2014, after it was found that the company had failed to pay over £700,000 in tax since its creation in 2011.
“We’re thrilled to add London Fields Brewery to our growing portfolio of great quality craft and specialty beers,” said the Carlsberg UK chief executive, Julian Momen.
“We thank Julian for his work in establishing London Fields Brewery and the creation of this exciting brand, and we wish him well in the future,” he added.
Carlsberg said the business would be run in a joint venture with US craft beer firm Brooklyn Brewery, with which the Danish company signed a UK distribution deal in 2016.