Asahi to close Dark Star Brewery
The company said it would cease trading at its current site, in Partridge Green, West Sussex, as of 31 December 2022, and for operations for the brand will move to its Meantime brewery in Greenwich.
While it highlighted the issues surrounding the economic environment it also revealed that the site operates significantly below capacity “which is unfortunately not sustainable.”
Challenges
In a statement the company said: “This is not a step we have taken lightly, however there are significant challenges in the current economic and operating environment that make this the right course of action for the business and the brand.”
“Our absolute priority right now is to support all colleagues who may be impacted by this proposal, and we are currently in the process of consultation with them. It would therefore be inappropriate to provide any further detail at this time, but we will share more on our plans for the brand and its future brewing arrangements in due course.”
Asahi purchase
The brewer, which was bought by Fuller’s in February 2018, was subsequently bought by Asahi in January 2021 when the regional brewer sold its beer arm. The Japanese beer giant purchased Fuller’s Griffin Brewery, Cornish Orchards and Nectar Imports for £250m.
There has been a lot of change in the brewing sector this year.
Nomadic Beers, the Leeds based brewery, hasclosed its doors citing the impact of the Covid pandemic and the increases in costs.
Earlier this year Heineken UK revealed plans toclose its Caledonian Brewery in Edinburgh, citing issues with its Victorian infrastructure.
Meanwhile Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company revealed it is to sell the Eagle Brewery in Bedford to Spanish brewer S.A. Damm (Damm), best known in the UK as the brewer Estrella Damm.
