C&C Group shifts Menabrea production to the UK

Production of Menabrea has been moved to the UK as part of a bid by distributor C&C Group to grow sales of the Italian lager. 

Brewing was moved from Piedmont, Italy, to the Tennent’s brewery in Glasgow last summer.

The beer’s packaging in the UK now reads Menabrea is “brewed in the UK the Italian alpine way under the supervision of Birra Menabrea”.

As Menabrea had “grown substantially in the UK” it was “unsustainable to continue importing vast quantities into the UK every few months from Italy”, a spokeswoman for C&C Group told The Grocer.

“We started brewing in the UK in June 2024 after more than a year of trials working alongside the Birra Menabrea team and family,” the spokesperson said. “This was a very considered process between the two teams and was carried out with a high level of technical expertise.”

Before C&C Group could begin selling Menabrea brewed in the UK, the 4.8% abv lager had to “pass a stringent 14-point specification” to ensure the UK liquid matched that produced in Italy, the spokeswoman said.

By shifting production to the UK, C&C Group was also able to “save circa 282 tonnes of CO2 and 846,254km driven by HGVs per year”, they added.

The move comes as C&C Group looks to tap into growing demand for continental-style lagers in the UK.

The Tennent’s brand owner has this month launched Menabrea in cans for the first time.

Multipacks have hit Tesco and Waitrose stores (rsp: from £6.50/4x440ml) and will roll out to further retailers including Asda and Morrisons in the coming months.

The move into cans would “appeal to different occasions while also meeting consumer preference for added convenience”, said Brid Turner, channel marketing and planning manager at C&C.

It is also kicking off a six-figure national campaign to support retailers stocking Menabrea this summer. The push includes a 75,000-can sampling campaign, as well as the rollout of coupons offering shoppers in England £1 off a 4x440ml pack.

C&C Group has been responsible for the distribution and marketing of Menabrea in the UK since 2014. The brewery remains independently owned and run by fifth-generation family member Franco Thedy.