UK: Keystone Brewing Group acquires craft beer brands Magic Rock and Fourpure

Keystone Brewing Group has acquired craft beer brands Magic Rock and Fourpure to join its growing portfolio, The Caterer reported on January 30.

Both brands had been owned by In Good Company Brewing since 2022, but Keystone said the holding company had “fallen into financial difficulties” in recent months.

Private equity-backed Keystone said it had stepped in to “save” the brands, which will join its portfolio of brands including Maison SASSY, Big Drop Brewing Co, Black Sheep Brewery, Purity Brewing Company, BBNo and Brick Brewing Company.

Chief executive Mark Williams said: “Keystone Brewing Group has secured an exclusive license with the brand owners to take these fantastic brands forward in the UK and worldwide.”

He added: “We have managed to save two iconic beer brands for future generations of beer lovers, following Keystone’s strategy of building an impressive portfolio of high-quality and distinctive beverages.”

In August Fourpure closed its Bermondsey taproom and moved production up to Yorkshire after 11 years.

Production of Fourpure’s beers had since been based at its sister Magic Rock brewery in Huddersfield, but Keystone confirmed this site had since closed.

Williams said: “The Magic Rock brewery has unfortunately closed, and we are naturally saddened at the loss of the Magic Rock site, and the employees and their families directly affected by this. The Magic Rock brewery had already ceased brewing due to cash issues, several weeks prior to agreeing the deal today, as such there was no viable business left.”

The number of UK breweries falling into insolvency tripled in the year to March 2023 as businesses struggled to balance rising costs.

Yorkshire-based North Brewing Co was sold out of administration in January while London’s Brew By Numbers was saved from collapse by Breal Capital last August.

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