Lion sells beer brands Fourpure and Magic Rock to Odyssey Inns
Australian beverage giant Lion has sold its UK operations, including craft beer brands Fourpure and Magic Rock to Odyssey Inns.
Alongside the beer brands, Odyssey has also snapped up breweries and taprooms in London, Huddersfield and Holmfirth and the Little Creatures craft beer hospitality venue in Kings Cross.
Lion, a subsidiary of Japanese drinks conglomerate Kirin, launched a strategic review of the beer brands earlier this year.
:“Odyssey brings together a great team with a clear passion for brewing and hospitality and is ideally placed to take Magic Rock and Fourpure forward,” Lion’s UK managing director, Gordon Treanor, said.
“I’d like to thank our brilliant team for their commitment and dedication, especially over the past two years. With some great sales and brand momentum, the business is well placed for the future ahead, under new ownership,” he added.
Odyssey is headed by Stephen Cox, the founder of Utopian Brewing, who called the sale an “incredible opportunity” to take the two brands “to the next level.”
He added: “Combined with an excellent hospitality proposition, fantastic people and state of the art breweries, we really have the platform to do great things. We’re excited to get started and get to know the team.
“We bring bags of energy and enthusiasm, entrepreneurial spirit and strong industry experience, and we hope to bring joy to many more customers with these great beers.”