Spanish brewing business Damm has officially opened its first overseas brewing outpost, in Bedford.
The brewer has invested some £70m in improvements at the Damm Eagle Brewery, which it acquired from Carlsberg Marston’s in 2022.
Improvements made to the site include a new canning line and brewstream that doubles capacity to 1.8 million hectolitres per year.
This would enable Damm to meet “increased UK demand” for its flagship Estrella Damm lager, the supplier said. The beer has been brewed for the UK market in Bedford since last spring.
Packaging capacity has also been doubled, with new formats and beverages including soft drinks also now able to be produced on site thanks to “advanced syrup handling and mixing technology”.
Since acquiring the brewery, Damm has increased the number of employees in its UK business more than threefold, to 180.
“Our commitment goes beyond capital investment,” said Damm MD Jorge Villavecchia. “We are bringing skills, innovation and a vision of how industry must evolve to remain competitive: more digital, more sustainable, more resilient.
“This country has shown, time and again, its ability to adapt and emerge stronger from adversity. That is why we believe our decision to invest in Bedford will contribute not only to Damm’s growth, but also to the resilience of the UK’s wider economy.”
Damm’s UK business had experienced “double-digit growth” in the past year, according to the supplier.
“New commercial and manufacturing partnerships” were projected to deliver “another record-breaking year” in 2026, it added.
In March, Damm announced a distribution partnership with Yorkshire brewer Northern Monk. The Spanish business is responsible for distributing Northern Monk’s Faith and A Little Faith in the on-trade.
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