Guinness dipped into emergency Irish reserves after festive frenzy left pubs dry
Guinness dipped into emergency Irish reserves after festive frenzy left pubs dry
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The makers of Guinness are working to increase supplies after a "sell-out" festive season, left many UK pubs dry. Diageo, which also owns Johnnie Walker whisky and Gordon’s gin, is witnessing "extraordinary" demand for Guinness in recent months. Debra Crew, Diageo's chief executive, revealed that sales in October and November eclipsed the typical frenzy around St Patrick's Day as the stout's appeal soars.
This led to shortages during the Christmas rush due to insatiable customer appetite. To combat the shortfall, Guinness even dipped into its emergency reserves from Ireland. Reports emerged of some London pubs limiting the number of pints per person to manage the scarce supply equitably. Ms Crew explained: "It has seen extraordinary growth in Britain, particularly at a time when the wider beer market is actually declining.
"Late last year, the demand was unprecedented. It was a sell-out period for the brand. We are working around the clock to replenish our stock levels and are boosting those quickly.". Investing in future supply, Diageo is pouring €200m (£166m) into a new Kildare factory. Meanwhile, Guinness enjoyed a 13% rise in net sales up to December. Diageo has firmly stated it is "not selling" Guinness, quashing rumours that the group might be eyeing a spin-off or sale of the iconic Irish brand. This comes despite analysts' suggestions that the company could fetch a $10bn (£8bn) if it pursued a deal.
