Efes has become the latest world lager to shift production to the UK.
In order to support a push into mainstream grocery, production of Efes Pilsener has moved to Curious Brewery in Kent, where it is being brewed under licence by Sunrise Beverages.
The locally produced brew has landed in Tesco in a 660ml bottle (rsp: £3), a 4x440ml can multipack (rsp: £7), and a 10x330ml can multipack (rsp: £13). It carries the same 5% abv as the Efes brewed overseas.
The listing marked the first time Efes – first brewed in Türkiye in 1969 and now sold in over 50 countries globally – would be available to British shoppers “on a national scale”, Sunrise Beverages said.
Since winning the UK licence for Efes in January 2025, Sunrise has invested in building the brand across the on-trade, where it is now listed in hospitality groups including Comptoir Libanais, Portobello Pubco and Brother Marcus.
“Efes has been building genuine momentum on draught across the on-trade for over a year, and we know from the data that consumers love it wherever they find it,” said Sunrise Beverages CEO Richard Mather. “This listing with Tesco gives us the platform to bring that experience to millions of British drinkers for the first time.”
Read more: Which world lagers are brewed in the UK?
Despite the decision to move brewing to the UK earlier this year, Efes remained “an authentic Mediterranean lager, true to its original recipe”, Sunrise insisted.
“The Tesco range is now brewed at Sunrise-owned Curious Brewery in Kent, to the highest quality standards, ensuring exceptional freshness,” the supplier added.
It comes after Mythos rolled out a UK-brewed version of its flagship namesake Greek lager last month.
Other world beer brands to have shifted production to the UK in recent years include Menabrea, Leffe and Mahou.
Fewer than a third of world lagers on sale in the UK are produced in their country of origin and to the same recipe as in their domestic market, according to The Grocer’s own research.
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