Danish brewer Carlsberg has acquired a minority stake in Chinese craft brewery Jing-A for an undisclosed figure.
Beijing-based Jing-A was founded in 2012 and produces a wide range of craft beers for the Chinese market, including Flying Fist IPA, Tuhao Gold Pils, and Koji Red Ale, and the brewer also operates two bars or ‘brewpubs’ in the country.
Following the investment, Carlsberg will assume responsibility for the distribution of Jing-A’s beer portfolio, while the Chinese brewer will continue to produce its craft and speciality beers while developing its brand.
A statement from the Chinese brewer said: “Jing-A started with, and has always been driven by a deep love for good beer – it’s been a thrill for us to devote ourselves, our energy and our creativity to it.
“Over the past year, we’ve found ourselves increasingly pulled out of the brewery and into the back office. As a result we’ve been exploring funding options that would support Jing-A’s future development, while at the same time allow us to bring focus back to what we love most – brewing craft beer in China.
“We’re excited to announce that to that end, we’ve received investment from Carlsberg as a minority partner to fuel Jing-A’s next chapter.
“We’ll be able to take the quality of our beers to the next level – including popular seasonal and small-batch beers from our brewpub – and make them more widely available to beer lovers in Beijing and throughout China.
“It will be the same people doing it, driven by the same passion and creativity – now with more support for quality, innovation, and distribution.”
