Carlsberg has struck a deal for its beers to be produced in the US by cannabis company Tilray Brands.
Under the agreement, Tilray will hold the exclusive licence to produce, market, sell and distribute Carlsberg, Carlsberg Elephant, 1664, and 1664 Blanc in the US for a minimum of five years from next January.
Subject to sales performance, the deal would be automatically renewed for a further five years, Tilray said.
Carlsberg currently has a limited production footprint in North America, and the US accounts for only a small proportion of its total sales.
“This partnership brings together two highly complementary organisations and underscores the strength of Tilray’s beverage platform,” said Tilray CEO Irwin Simon. “By combining Carlsberg’s iconic global brands and proven brewing heritage with Tilray Beverages’ US operational scale, quality standards, and national commercial team, we are well positioned to expand Carlsberg’s presence…and drive long-term growth in the US beer market.
“Beer is here to stay, and this agreement reinforces our strategy of partnering with best-in-class brands and maximising the value of our beverage operations.”
Prinz Pinakatt, chief growth officer at Tilray, said the Danish brewer’s portfolio was well aligned with Tilray’s, which includes craft beers as well as functional and ingestible cannabis products.
“Our established capability to brew at scale, build brand equity, and commercialise effectively throughout the US makes us an ideal partner to support Carlsberg’s growth objectives,” Pinakatt added.
Having begun life as a pureplay cannabis producer, Tilray has diversified into a broader fmcg supplier across the beverage, alcohol, and wellness sectors amid stalling legalisation efforts in the US. It remains the cannabis market leader in Canada – the largest federally legal cannabis market in the world, however.
Following major acquisitions from AB InBev and Molson Coors in 2023 and 2024, it now lays claim to being the fourth largest craft brewer in the US. Brands in its roster include SweetWater, Montauk, 10 Barrel and Green Flash.
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