Mikkeller signs agreement with Carlsberg: New partnership to strengthen Mikkeller’s sales and distribution

A new partnership between Mikkeller and Carlsberg is poised to strengthen the distribution of Mikkeller’s beer in Denmark, while Mikkeller will remain dedicated to developing new and innovative concepts, beers and events. Founder and CEO Mikkel Bjergsø maintains the controlling interest in the company and continues on as CEO, while Carlsberg acquires a minority stake in the company.

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There is good news for Danish consumers with a penchant for quality beer. Because today, Mikkeller and Carlsberg announce that they have entered into a distribution partnership with the purpose of increasing the availability of Mikkeller’s beer in Denmark. This means that the sophisticated and innovative high-quality beer will reach a much wider audience than it has so far. In relation to this partnership agreement, Carlsberg will acquire 20 percent of Mikkeller, while Founder and CEO Mikkel Bjergsø will maintain the controlling interest and continue in his role of CEO.

At Mikkeller, which has experienced considerable prosperity and international fame for its innovative beer since 2006, they are very pleased with this partnership:

“This is a big day for me personally. When I almost 20 years ago dedicated myself to brewing beer, it was with a great deal of verve and an ambition to give far more people access to high-quality beer. For many years, we have offered our customers quality beer, but we have lacked well-established sales channels. With Carlsberg’s considerable sales apparatus, this partnership offers us an opportunity to reach many more consumers.” says Founder and CEO Mikkel Bjergsø and continues:

“2023 was a really good year for Mikkeller. After some challenging years we managed to get the business and our profitability back on track. Now, with Carlsberg on board as well, our distribution in Denmark will be taken to the next level. I am excited about the coming years, where we are truly ready to put Denmark on the map among the best beer nations worldwide”.

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Focus on innovation and new markets
The partnership secures Mikkeller a strong ally able to drive forward the sales and distribution of Mikkeller’s beer in Denmark:

“With this partnership, we are taking a quantum leap on the distribution front. This means that we will be able to reach many more beer enthusiasts across the country. This will give Mikkeller’s team an even better foundation for focusing on developing new and exciting products, and alongside this creating the experiences that distinguish Mikkeller, through collaborations, events, beer festivals, restaurants and bars, while focusing on entering new and existing global markets.” says Mikkel Bjergsø.

“We are very pleased to be entering into this partnership with Mikkeller. Mikkeller is a strong brand, and we will do what we can to help it achieve even more success amongst customers and consumers in Denmark. We have an exciting portfolio of specialty beers, and with this partnership, we will be able to offer customers and consumers even more unique varieties in this category. We are intent on Mikkeller keeping its very particular characteristics while we with our execution apparatus contribute towards growth in the brand.” says CEO of Carlsberg Denmark, Peter Haahr Nielsen.

The partnership will not affect the everyday goings on at Mikkeller, where Mikkel Bjergsø will continue as CEO. Mikkeller aims to continue their success with their own bars and restaurants as well as improving the customer experience and strengthening the brand further. The company will continue to develop dozens of new and innovative beers every year and remains an independent craft brewer globally.

Facts about the partnership between Mikkeller and Carlsberg:

· Mikkel Bjergsø maintains the controlling interest in the company and will continue as CEO of Mikkeller.

· Mikkeller’s bars and restaurants will continue to be operated as previously by the same Mikkeller team – both in Denmark and globally.

· Carlsberg acquires 20 percent of Mikkeller. Carlsberg purchases shares from Orkila, who acquired a part of Mikkeller back in 2016 and remains the company’s second largest shareholder (after Mikkel Bjergsø) following the transaction.

· The agreement will come into effect in the second half of 2024. The partnership has been set up with an eye to increasing Mikkeller’s distribution and sales in Denmark.

· Mikkeller will continue to develop dozens of new beers per year and remains an independent craft brewer globally.
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About Mikkeller

Mikkeller was founded in 2006 by math and physics teacher Mikkel Bjergsø, who started brewing in the kitchen of his home in Copenhagen. Today, Mikkeller has a presence in more than 40 markets worldwide and is – among other things –  responsible for bars and restaurants like Warpigs (CPH) and Ramen to Biiru (DK/SWE) as well as Mikkeller’s bars in locations that include Tokyo, London, Paris, the Faroe Islands, Tallinn, and Taipei.

Additionally, Mikkeller manages a worldwide running club with more than 150 local chapters. Mikkeller also organizes the annual beer festivals ‘Mikkeller Beer Celebration Copenhagen’ and ‘Mikkeller Beer Celebration Tokyo’.

Contact

If you have questions, please contact info@mikkeller.dk

For press related matters, please write to press@mikkeller.dk or call: +45 31 72 11 73

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Mikkeller indgår aftale med Carlsberg:

Nyt samarbejde skal styrke Mikkellers salg og distribution
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Et nyt samarbejde mellem Mikkeller og Carlsberg skal styrke distributionen af Mikkellers øl i Danmark, mens Mikkeller fortsat vil dedikere sig til at udvikle nye innovative koncepter, øl og events. Stifter og adm. direktør Mikkel Bjergsø fastholder stemmemajoriteten i selskabet og fortsætter som adm. direktør, mens Carlsberg erhverver en mindre del af selskabet.

Der er gode nyheder til danske forbrugere med en hang til kvalitetsøl. For i dag annoncerer Mikkeller og Carlsberg, at de to har indgået et distributionssamarbejde, hvilket har til formål at øge tilgængeligheden af Mikkellers øl i Danmark. Det betyder, at de sofistikerede og innovative højkvalitetsøl når ud til langt flere kunder end hidtil.
I forbindelse med samarbejdsaftalen erhverver Carlsberg 20 pct. af kapitalandelene i Mikkeller, mens stifter og adm. direktør, Mikkel Bjergsø, fastholder stemmemajoriteten og fortsætter i sin rolle som adm. direktør.

Hos Mikkeller, der siden 2006 har oplevet enorm fremgang og international berømmelse for innovative øl, er man godt tilfreds med samarbejdet:

“Det er en stor dag for mig personligt. Da jeg for snart 20 år siden dedikerede mig til ølbrygning, var det med store armbevægelser og en ambition om at give langt flere adgang til øl af høj kvalitet. I mange år har vi tilbudt vores kunder kvalitetsøl, men har manglet veletablerede salgskanaler. Med Carlsbergs store salgsmuskel, giver samarbejdet mulighed for at nå mange flere forbrugere.” siger stifter og adm. direktør, Mikkel Bjergsø og fortsætter:

“2023 var et rigtig godt år i Mikkeller. Vi fik vendt skuden efter nogle udfordrende år i modvind og fik profitabiliteten tilbage på rette kurs igen. Jeg glæder mig meget til de kommende år, hvor vi for alvor er klar til at sætte Danmark på verdenskortet blandt de bedste ølnationer. Nu også med Carlsberg på holdet, der vil sætte ekstra skub til distributionen af vores øl i Danmark”.

Fokus på innovation og nye markeder
Samarbejdet sikrer Mikkeller en stærk allieret, som kan sætte skub i salg og distribution af Mikkellers øl i Danmark:

“Med dette samarbejde tager vi et kvantespring på distributionsfronten. Det betyder, at vi vil nå ud til langt flere ølentusiaster landet over. Det vil give hele Mikkellers team endnu bedre forudsætninger for at fokusere på at udvikle nye spændende produkter og skabe de oplevelser sideløbende, som kendetegner Mikkeller, via samarbejder, events, ølfestivaller, restauranter og barer, mens vi fokuserer på at indtage nye og eksisterende globale markeder.” siger Mikkel Bjergsø

“Vi er meget glade for at indgå dette partnerskab med Mikkeller. Mikkeller er et stærkt brand, og vi vil gøre vores til, at det får endnu mere succes blandt kunder og forbrugere i Danmark. Vi har en spændende portefølje af specialøl, og med partnerskabet får vi mulighed for at tilbyde kunder og forbrugere endnu flere unikke varianter indenfor kategorien. Vi er optaget af, at Mikkeller beholder sit helt særlige præg samtidigt med, at vi med vores eksekveringsmuskel kan bidrage til vækst i brandet.” siger adm. direktør i Carlsberg Danmark, Peter Haahr Nielsen.

Samarbejdet vil ikke påvirke dagligdagen i Mikkeller, hvor Mikkel Bjergsø fortsætter som adm.direktør. Mikkeller sigter efter at fortsætte succesen med egne barer og restauranter og at forbedre kundeoplevelsen og styrke brandet yderligere samt at udvikle og fremstille nye innovative kvalitetsøl.

 
Fakta  om samarbejdet mellem Mikkeller og Carlsberg:

· Mikkel Bjergsø fastholder stemmemajoriteten i selskabet og fortsætter som adm. direktør i Mikkeller.

· Driften af Mikkellers barer og restauranter fortsætter uændret og med det samme hold som hidtil – både i Danmark og globalt.

· Carlsberg køber 20 pct. af Mikkeller. Den primære andel af Mikkeller køber Carlsberg fra Orkila, der første gang investerede i Mikkeller i 2016. Orkila fortsætter som Mikkellers næststørste investor efter Mikkel Bjergsø.

· Aftalen træder først i kraft sidst på året 2024. Samarbejdet sker med henblik på at øge Mikkellers distribution og salg i Danmark.

Om Mikkeller

Mikkeller blev stiftet i 2006 af matematik- og fysiklærer Mikkel Bjergsø, som begyndte med at brygge i sit køkken på Vesterbro. I dag er Mikkeller til stede på mere end 40 markeder verden over og står blandt andet bag barer og restauranter så som Warpigs (KBH), Ramen to Biiru (DK/SVE) samt Mikkellers barer i bl.a. Tokyo, London, Paris, Færøerne, Tallin og Taipei.

Mikkeller driver desuden en verdensomspændende løbeklub med mere end 150 lokalafdelinger globalt. Mikkeller arrangerer også de årlige ølfestivaller ’Mikkeller Beer Celebration Copenhagen’ og ’Mikkeller Beer Celebration Tokyo’.

Kontakt‍

Hvis du har spørgsmål, skriv venligt til: info@mikkeller.dk

For presserelaterede spørgsmål: press@mikkeller.dk eller tlf. 31 7211 73