Stevens & Bolton LLP has advised Fuller, Smith and Turner P.L.C. on its acquisition of The Dark Star Brewing Company Limited (“Dark Star”), a craft beer business based in West Sussex. Dark Star’s beers include Hophead, American Pale Ale, Dark Star Original and Revelation.
Fuller, Smith and Turner P.L.C. is an independent traditional family brewer founded in 1845 and is based at the historic Griffin Brewery in Chiswick, London, where brewing has taken place continuously since 1654. The Fuller’s Beer Company brews a portfolio of premium beers including London Pride, Oliver’s Island, ESB, Organic Honey Dew and Frontier Craft Lager. The Company owns Cornish Orchards, a craft cider maker producing a range of award-winning ciders and premium soft drinks. Fuller’s is also the UK distributor for Sierra Nevada, the premier US craft beer. In December 2015, Stevens & Bolton LLP advised Fuller’s on its acquisition of a 51% stake in Nectar Imports, a wholesale drinks business.
Nick Gray, Group Head of Strategy and Finance at Fuller’s commented: “Once again it has been a pleasure to work with Jonathan and his team completing another strategic acquisition for Fuller’s to widen the styles and choice of beers we can offer our customers, whilst helping Dark Star grow production and distribution.”
Jonathan Porteous, corporate partner at Stevens & Bolton commented: “We are very pleased to complete this latest acquisition for Fuller’s – Fuller’s go about business the right way in our view and are a pleasure to work with – they also have a genuine commitment to preserving and developing high quality real ales and will be good custodians of Dark Star’s excellent brands”.
The Stevens & Bolton team was led by corporate partner Jonathan Porteous, supported by Nassar Nassar, Zara Mathews and Melissa Turner (corporate), Daryl Rivero and Jonathan Cope (real estate), Charlotte Tillett and Joanna Morris (intellectual property), Shaun Hogan (employment) and Kate Maguire (commercial).