Heineken Ireland acquisition of Molson Coors Ireland beers

BeerNut

Overheard someone in the pub talking about this last night and just had it confirmed by Bob from White Hag. Apparently, subject to Competition Authority approval, Molson Coors Ireland will be handing over their brand portfolio to Heineken Ireland. Heineken already distributes Coors here, so for the most part I guess it'll just be an extension of that arrangement to Madrí, Blue Moon and the like. But I wonder what it would mean for Franciscan Well. If that goes to Heineken, I can't see them going back to running two full-scale production breweries in Cork.

Shank Williams

I don’t know why Madri annoys me so much but it does especially the twat on the label

easygoing39

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122309848#Comment_122309848

What I dislike about it is the fact it pretends to be Spainish,but it was conceived and brewed in England.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122309866#Comment_122309866

Yep that's it for me.

Whatever people think about the large brands in their current state all of the big Dutch, Danish and Italian beers are long running and storied breweries. Madrid is just a gimmick.

PTH2009

Didn't find the Madri and San Maguel stuff great

Going to Madrid in a few weeks, not sure what beers are even big overthere

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122309907#Comment_122309907

Mahao will be everywhere. You order a "beer" in Madrid it will almost always be Mahao except a few spots with Cruzcampo if you are drinking in a standard Spanish pub.

Don't worry after next month you will have been to Madrid more times than Madri.

PTH2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122309961#Comment_122309961

Yeah the lads were saying that's the main beer

Hopefully its not like Harp or Rockshore

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122310249#Comment_122310249

It's grand. Moretti/Peroni level from what I remember. Spanish breweries are typically European in the sense that they do multiple styles.

What everyone calls Mahou is "Cinco Estrellas" but like many breweries will do double malts and dark and red beers too. You will also find craft beer pubs same as everywhere else now too.

Irishdancingqueen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058357530/heineken-ireland-acquisition-of-molson-coors-ireland-beers

its true! over 90 people in ROI market are going to loose their jobs in January

Irishdancingqueen

it is brewed in Cork and Burton on Trent but actually was conceived in La Sagra brewery in Toledo. The guy on the bottle is Carlos Garcia, the owner of the brewery and a real person

Irishdancingqueen

it is brewed in Cork and Burton on Trent but actually was conceived in La Sagra brewery in Toledo. The guy on the bottle is Carlos Garcia, the owner of the brewery and a real person

standardg60

No surprise to me, Heineken have been steadily losing market share to Coors here.

Losing out, buy them out.

Irishdancingqueen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122322950#Comment_122322950

they haven't bought Molson Coors, just the distribution rights for ROI. Still means that over 90 jobs are going to be lost right after Christmas

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122322926#Comment_122322926

No Coors bought La Sagra and made a beer that has nothing got to do with them other than being a front so they can claim it's Spanish.

Is about as Spanish as Andrew Sachs.

Irishdancingqueen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122322989#Comment_122322989

you're actually 100% correct but so was what I said. It is brewed in Cork and Burton and Carlos Garcia is still a major stakeholder in La Sagra brewery. They're very careful not to call it Spanish, they call it a 'Spanish or Mediterranean style beer '

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122323035#Comment_122323035

They call it "The heart of Madrid" which does not contain Cork, Toledo or Burton.

Irishdancingqueen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122323051#Comment_122323051

that's what is known as 'marketing'

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122323074#Comment_122323074

It's what's known as lies.

Irishdancingqueen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122323093#Comment_122323093

correct! its almost the same type of lies they told their current Irish team when they did a huge recruitment drive and head hunted us from other jobs only the leave us high and dry right after Christmas

the beer revolu

@Irishdancingqueen , do you have any information as to the fate of Franscian Well brewery? Will it remain Molson Coor's owned but the beer distributed by Heineken?

Irishdancingqueen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122324590#Comment_122324590

That is the plan so far. Production will continue and no jobs will be lost. Heineken will just take over distribution

Geuze

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058357530/heineken-ireland-acquisition-of-molson-coors-ireland-beers

I can't find any notification of any merger on the CPPCC website?

I searched for Molson and Heineken and found the following:

Irishdancingqueen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122330041#Comment_122330041

it's not a merger per say, Heineken will just take over the distribution of the full Molson Coors portfolio in ROI. They already distribute Coors here which was thought to be taken back by the Molson ROI team when the contract expired but now they will take over distribution of all brands for Molson Coors

BeerNut

One of the CCPC definitions of a merger is "the acquisition of part of an undertaking (not involving the acquisition of a corporate legal entity) [which] involves the acquisition of assets that constitute a business to which a turnover can be attributed (with ‘assets’ capable of including goodwill), where the turnover generated from the assets is connected to the State". I think that fits this situation.

And if, as has been said, it's subject to CCPC approval, one would expect notice to appear on the CCPC site. I'd say it'll still be a while before it shows, Geuze. You may not believe this, but sometimes the Irish public sector can be a little slow in going about its business.

Irishdancingqueen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122331370#Comment_122331370

as a directly affected person of this 'development' I can assure you that this is going ahead. The CCPC will announce when they are ready. As for Molson and Heineken, there should be a press statement soon which will state very little information other than Heineken Ireland will assume full distribution of Molson Coors products in ROI after approval from the CCPC is achieved

BeerNut

Oh, I wasn't questioning that, and I'm sorry it's happening to you and your colleagues. I'm just saying I wouldn't expect to see notice listed on the CCPC site when it isn't even public domain information yet.

Irishdancingqueen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122331456#Comment_122331456

I wasn't trying to correct you :-), just trying to give information where I can. A lot of jobs, lives and families are now affected by this and we're stuck in purgatory without adequate information :-(

Rows Grower

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122324590#Comment_122324590

There is no fear with the Franciscan Well brewery, they make enough on pizza's alone to keep themselves afloat, the place is hopping seven nights a week, it's a goldmine.

Lewis_Benson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122310249#Comment_122310249

Mahou is a fine beer, perfect for the sun.

the beer revolu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122331510#Comment_122331510

Coor's don't own the bar (or the micro brewery there, anymore). They own the beer brand Franscian Well and the brewery down the Marina in Cork.

Original 7 is the beer made behind the bar, now.

Geuze

Are any/nuch of the Molson Coors portfolio made in Ireland (other than F Well)?

Rows Grower

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122331990#Comment_122331990

I worked in that little brewery decades ago when it was an egg in a nest and have always had an ambition for it to do well.

Jesus we had some lash of pints every Friday, Cliff was the head brewer at that time he was sound, Canadian?

Was in there earlier this year for a party the place is a goldmine, long may it last.

franciscan well brewpub

they never owned the bar . Also the brewery in the pub is now independant once more called original 7 . Has been for the last two years now

dav09

Molson Coors were always very competitive and very nice reps in Ireland, their distribution network was subcontracted out which often left them down a few years back, not sure if that changed since. It's a shame to see them go, Heineken's portfolio here will be very strange going forward, they will have more or less a monopoly in terms of beer taps in regular bars besides less than a handful like Guinness and maybe Rockshore, I wonder will this pass CPPCC. I presume it surely includes the off-premise distribution too?

I wonder has Franciscan Well much of an export market/ manufactured products they export to Europe, if not will Molson Coors surely look to offload it as having that as their only operation left in Ireland probably doesn't make sense, like with 8 Degrees and Pernod Ricard recently. Madri/ Blue Moon will probably be okay but I can't Heineken pushing brands at the taps they don't manufacture vs their own brands, surely less profitable. They will have a massive portfolio as their portfolio is big aready, I can't see them keeping every brand Rekordling, Staropramen, etc. especially when some are competing with their own.

Heineken have handled the distribution of their products strangely since the re-return implementation too, not sure if there is a delay with relabeling or if they have exited the market on a number of brands but it seems that way. No Lagunitas, Beavertown or Brixton in any off licenses anymore that I've seen along with some others, seems even stranger as they seem to push bars to have Lagunitas taps in the cities but you can't enjoy it at home anymore for the past 6 months, discontinued bottles too which are exempt, I wonder will some of Molsen Coors products follow the same pattern which are prominent currently in off licenses.

BeerNut

I think the Heineken thing is because they don't have a small-pack line in Ireland: all the cans and bottles of Heineken and Lagunitas sold in Ireland are brewed in the Netherlands. Only the draught comes from Cork. Logistically, bottled Lagunitas is a different beer from draught.

dav09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122356199#Comment_122356199

That makes sense, although I believe they transferred (at least the bottle/cans) manufacturing to Alken-Maes last year at a large cost but probably comes through the Netherlands like mentioned, I'm surprised they haven't just re-barcoded with a sticker like some companies or switched back to bottles. I suppose production might be different with Brixton/ Beavertown being UK based, there are others of brands too recently. If it's a blip and awaiting relabeling it's not great, but if they've consciously dropped a load of their craft and alternative brands, I would worry about the future of a lot of what it's taking on here in Ireland considering Molson Coors have a lot of brands in that category.

Not made with hands

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122355369#Comment_122355369

I think this will be a big problem.

Almost a monopoly of Heineken products.

Diageo globally are mostly a spirits company.

No massive interest in lagers like Rockshore, Harp etc. and struggling to compete with a lager / stout company like Heineken.

Not good for the consumer if this is allowed.

BeerNut

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122357095#Comment_122357095

I've never seen Brixton Brewery beer in Ireland, and I didn't think Heineken Ireland ever distributed Beavertown here. That was Four Corners for ages, then gone.

dav09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122357288#Comment_122357288

I definitely seen Brixton here somewhat recently cant remember until exactly how recent though, maybe it was a trial/imported. Yeah Four Corners did distribute it but didn't seem to keen to want to renew when Heineken took over, just seen out the contract likely. I'm not sure when that ended and how it was distributed but I definitely seen it on shelves earlier in the year Gamma Ray and Neck Oil in O'Brien's and one or two places, was told likely not coming back/no new barcode. I suppose it's it semantics really, but maybe they dropped a number of products to make way for some Molsen Coors ones, but either way it doesn't give confidence for the future. With Lagunitas they messed up distribution when they rebranded and transferred product to Alken-Maes last year it seems it went off the market (at off licence) for 3/4 months, and struggled to gain shelf space back as there seemed supply issues, obviously not a brand they're overly worried about either way.

I think part of the issue was Molsen Coors did seem to operate at a loss in recent years here, I was surprised they always renewed their Coors Heineken deal but maybe it made sense in some way, but it was a good option with alternative beers and competitive. If Molsen Coors did pull out completely or if Heineken takes over I can't see a good outcome either way but I suppose still having their products available here would be better, they weren't a huge player really but good for consumers keeping the balance.

BeerNut

Around the time of the Franciscan Well takeover, so about 2013, I heard it rumoured that Molson Coors Ireland had never managed to make a profit. I'd be surprised if things had improved for them in the decade since. So many failed product launches. And then just as Madrí seems to have finally given them a banker, it's goodnight Maynooth.

Irishdancingqueen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122357450#Comment_122357450

The on-trade has always struggled but the off-trade is flying, and there is a lot less overheads with packaged products. They had massive campaigns over the years for draught products but with most of the brewery's at capacity, they ended up sacrificing the kegging production line for more popular brands such as Carling. Molson Canadian draught is a good example of a products that was growing legs but then culled in order to grow production of other products in more demand

BeerNut

"The Craft Collection" must have been an expensive failure, though. I still see point of sale material from that — it was everywhere for a short while. And the time Keith Villa came over to Dublin to tell us about the Blue Moon brand extensions that barely lasted a wet week. Sharp's seems to have vanished from supermarket shelves now, as far as I can see, even the Atlantic and Doom Bar, which looked like the last hangers-on.

From this outsider's perspective, MCI's forays into the on-trade specialty beer market looked like a series of poorly executed and hastily retired initiatives.

Irishdancingqueen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122368573#Comment_122368573

completely agree. They constantly tried to impose a model that is successful in the UK market into ROI without taking into any consideration that they are tremendously different markets! For some reason this penny has not dropped with them yet, or ever will by the looks of it.

On a grander scheme of things you could speculate that they may have be using the Irish market as a testing format for larger global markets to judge pitfalls at a relatively low loss from worldwide perspective- one may ponder

Gary Owen

This is going ahead . All Heineken staff have been notified. Looks like to start in the new year

jt69er

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122707073#Comment_122707073

What's going to happen to the Molson Coors staff?