C&C Group acquires Innis & Gunn brand through pre-pack administration

The Innis & Gunn brand has been acquired by Irish drinks company C&C Group plc through a pre-packaged administration that transfers key intellectual property and commercial assets while bringing an end to the Scottish brewer’s standalone operations.

Christopher Bennett, Oliver Wright and Samuel Ballinger of FTI were appointed joint administrators to the Edinburgh-based craft beer business before completing an immediate sale of certain assets to C&C Group for £4.5 million. The transaction was structured as a pre-pack administration, allowing the brand to continue under new ownership while the insolvent operating companies enter an orderly wind-down.

Innis & Gunn built its reputation as one of Scotland’s best-known craft brewers, gaining international recognition for oak-aged beers first introduced in 2003. Over the past two decades, the company expanded from a niche export brand into a broader consumer business that included retail distribution, hospitality venues and a brewery operation in Scotland.

The company also operated branded taprooms in Edinburgh and Glasgow as part of an effort to deepen consumer engagement and grow direct sales. Those hospitality venues, along with the brewing operations associated with the business, will now close as part of the administration process.

Administrators confirmed that approximately 100 employees will be made redundant following the sale and the shutdown of the brewery and taproom operations. A smaller number of staff have been retained temporarily to assist with the closure of the remaining trading activities and the administration process.

The acquisition transfers ownership of the Innis & Gunn brand and related assets to C&C Group, which has maintained a commercial relationship with the brewer for several years. The Irish drinks group had previously held a minority shareholding and acted as a brewing partner for a portion of the company’s production, and said the acquisition represents an opportunity to incorporate a premium craft beer label into its existing portfolio, which includes Tennent’s Lager and other established beverage brands across the United Kingdom and Ireland.