Marston's Plc, based in London, has revealed that it will dispose of its ownership in Carlsberg for approximately £200 million, enabling the corporation to focus exclusively on the pub industry.
In a statement released today, Marston's informed that they had offloaded their 40% holding in Carlsberg, and paid Carlsberg £206m in return.
With the proceeds from the sale, Marston's aims to strengthen its balance sheet and increase financial flexibility.
The joint venture between Marston's and Carlsberg was formed in 2020 with a valuation of £780m, but Marston's pubs were not included in the deal.
Marston's had a market value under £200m and £959m net debt before deal announcement.
Pub Improvements and Customer Experience
The proceeds from the sale of its stake in Carlsberg will enable Marston's to invest in upgrading its pubs, ensuring they remain attractive to customers.
The company aims to create a more welcoming environment, focusing on providing excellent customer service and enhancing the overall dining experience at its pubs.
"Britvic's high-quality soft drinks portfolio with Carlsberg's strong beer portfolio and route-to-market capabilities, creating an enhanced proposition across the UK and markets in Western Europe."
Jacob Aarup-Andersen
Carlsberg's Strategic Move with Britvic
That day brought significant developments for both Marston's and Carlsberg, as well as Britvic, with the former selling its stake in Carlsberg and the latter revealing a £3.3bn deal to acquire a soft drinks producer.
"creates an enlarged international group that is well-placed to capture the growth opportunities in multiple drinks sectors."
Ian Durant
The deal will create an enlarged international group with a strong platform for growth opportunities in multiple beverage sectors.
Collaboration between Marston's and PepsiCo
Through a deal struck between the parties involved, Danish brewer Carlsberg will acquire Britvic, the UK-based bottler and distributor of PepsiCo brands, with PepsiCo granting permission to proceed despite the bottling contract's change of control clause.
Marston's partnership with PepsiCo could result in synergies and growth for both companies.
Additionally, the collaboration between Marston's and PepsiCo could create exciting opportunities for growth within the hospitality sector.