C&C Group has been a small minority shareholder and a brewing partner for Innis & Gunn for a number of years and CEO Roger White has expressed his joy with the purchase of the well-loved brewing business.
C&C said the acquisition represents an attractive opportunity for the group to further broaden its branded portfolio with a “premium, well-established brand”.
However, Innis & Gunn founder Dougal Gunn Sharp described the move as “a very difficult day” and expressed his sadness over those who have lost their jobs too.
He said: “Today is a very difficult day, first and foremost for the brilliant people who have worked so hard to build Innis & Gunn over the past 23 years.
“I’m immensely proud of everything our team achieved together, creating a distinctive Scottish beer brand enjoyed by customers at home and around the world.
“I’m deeply sorry to everyone affected - particularly my colleagues who have lost their jobs and the shareholders who believed in what we were building. It’s been a bruising process for everyone.
Proud of the brand
“While this outcome is not what any of us hoped for, I’m glad the brand has found a home with C&C Group. We’ve worked closely with the team for many years and they have the scale, distribution and experience to take Innis & Gunn forward.
“Despite the news, I remain incredibly proud of the brand, the beer and the community that grew around it. I truly hope the next chapter allows Innis & Gunn to fulfil the potential we always believed it had.”
C&C said the integration of Innis & Gunn into the group – which owns drinks brands Bulmers, Magners and Tennent’s and also operates drinks and wine distributor Matthew Clark Bibendum – is expected to present a “very low execution risk” with the brand being fully absorbed into C&C’s existing operational, commercial and supply chain infrastructure.
As a result, the C&C board anticipates a rapid operational transition and minimal disruption to the business.
The Scottish brand, which operates two taprooms in Glasgow and one in Edinburgh, offers a range of beers including its Lager Beer, The Original and Irish Whiskey Cask.
Plans for the business are stated as “developing the Innis & Gunn brand by using its established production capability, routes to market, and infrastructure, leveraging existing capabilities to unlock brand value with minimal requirement for incremental overhead or capital investment”.
Highly synergistic opportunity
C&C Group said: “The acquisition of Innis & Gunn reinforces our belief in the value of strong brands and the importance of our integrated manufacturing supply, marketing and sales business model. The acquisition consideration is £4.5m, funded from existing facilities.”
C&C CEO White added: “We have worked with Innis & Gunn for many years and while it’s under difficult circumstances, we are delighted to bring the brand fully into our portfolio.
“This is a compelling and highly synergistic opportunity to save a well-loved brand for which we currently brew most of the product.
“Our existing brewing and route-to-market platform allows us to integrate the brand effectively and quickly, supporting the ongoing supply of products to customers and consumers.
“We expect this acquisition to make a small positive contribution to our overall financial performance in FY27.”
C&C Group posted “solid” results despite difficult trading conditions in its H1 results ended 31 August 2025.
Q&A with C&C Group
Will the acquisition affect availability in pubs and bars?
We don’t envisage any impact to availability. We already brew and distribute the majority of Innis & Gunn products so we will be working to ensure continuity of supply with customers.
Which pubs stock Innis & Gunn beer and will this change?
The brand enjoys strong distribution in the Scottish free trade, selected national accounts and international markets. Our immediate priority is ensuring continuity of supply and service for those customers. We’re excited about incorporating Innis & Gunn within the wider C&C Group portfolio and unleashing the future brand potential.
Why did C&C acquire Innis & Gunn?
This is a sound business acquisition that combines strong strategic and commercial rationale for C&C Group. The acquisition represents an attractive opportunity for the group to broaden its branded portfolio. Innis & Gunn benefits from an engaged and loyal following and we will continue that legacy under our ownership.
What are your plans for the brand in the on-trade?
We won’t be making any immediate changes to the portfolio and will continually review alongside our other brands as we look to bring the best product offer for consumers and customers.
