D Wetherspoon has signed a new 20-year supply deal with AB InBev‘s Budweiser, marking the end of a four decade-long arrangement between the pubco and brewing giant Heineken.
The deal will see Budweiser become the Wetherspoons‘ largest supplier from December 15. (The pubco also recently agreed new deals with BrewDog, Carlsberg Marrston’s and Molson Coors).
Budweiser, Stella Artois, Corona and Leffe Blonde will from then “feature prominently” on draught in the chain’s 860 pubs, while Heineken’s Strongbow will be replaced by Weston‘s Stowford Press Apple.
Heineken will stop supplying Wetherspoons with draught beers, but is in discussions over supplying bottled beers.
Budweiser’s president, Paula Lindenberg, said the move “provides a fantastic opportunity to invest at scale in the UK’s vibrant hospitality sector”.
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Wetherspoons crashed to a £155 million loss in the year to July after Covid hit. The company has only made a loss in three out of its 37 years – 1984, 2020 and 2021.
The firm’s shares rose 2.2%, or 20p, to 911.8p, this morning.
