The agreement will see Damm assume distribution of Northern Monk brands Faith (5%) and A Little Faith (4%) in the UK on-trade from May 2025.
It aims to allow Northern Monk to tap into Damm’s on-trade distribution while enhancing the Spanish beer company’s portfolio with a UK craft brand, complementing its Spanish and Japanese brands.
The Leeds-based brewery will retain its identity as an independent craft brewer.
Damm UK managing director Luke White said it was a “significant milestone” for the business.
Growth and success
He added: “Both companies share a dedication to delivering exceptional, high-quality beer to elevate consumer consumption occasions and this agreement represents a new chapter in our mutual commitment to excellence in the craft beer sector.
“Northern Monk’s reputation for quality and innovation aligns seamlessly with our values.
“We are confident this partnership will drive growth and success for both companies.”
Northern Monk was founded more than 10 years ago by Russell Bisset and Brian Dickson.
In October last year, the brewery launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £1m and become ‘Europe’s biggest craft brewery by 2025’.
On-trade growth
The funding aimed to help Northern Monk invest in three key initiatives - opening a flagship venue in London, expansion of the brewery to meet demand and to become carbon zero by 2030 alongside to turn its original brewery site into the best brewery visitor experience in the UK.
The scheme raised more than £1.9m in the time it ran, exceeding its £1m target with 1,825 investors.
On the partnership with Damm, Bisset said: “2025 will see Northern Monk’s brewing capacity increase by 20%, allowing us to produce an additional 2m pints compared to 2024.
“As one of the fastest growing beer brands in the off-trade, we’re excited to join forces with Damm, best-in-class partner to accelerate our on-trade growth too, using this increased capacity to raise awareness of Northern Monk across the UK.
“Damm has achieved exceptional quality and done some powerful work around environmental impact at scale.
“We’re really looking forward to learning from their expertise as we continue our quest to become carbon neutral in our direct emissions by 2030 while continuing to create beer experiences that delight our consumers.”
