Inside Carlsberg Britvic: The UK’s total beverage supplier
Carlsberg Britvic is one of the UK’s largest drinks suppliers, bringing together leading beer, cider, soft drinks, juice, mixers and alcohol-free brands under one business. Following the merger of Carlsberg and Britvic, the company now serves hospitality, wholesale and retail customers with a single, multi-beverage portfolio.
How Carlsberg and Britvic built iconic brands
Carlsberg’s “probably the best lager in the world”, went on to be used to describe many other things that were close to perfection. That and Britvic 55’s ad proposing summer afternoons with a glass of something cold and fruity, became part of Britain’s cultural furniture – warm, witty and memorable. That emotional capital, built over decades, is part of what makes the merger last year of Carlsberg and Britvic such a compelling one.
The history of Carlsberg and Britvic
A two-century love affair began in the 1800s, when Essex chemist Mr Rawlings set up a soft drinks firm which would become the British Vitamin Product Company, and then Britvic in 1971.
Carlsberg’s story began in 1847 in Copenhagen, where JC Jacobsen founded a brewery that would one day become one of the most recognised names in the world.
Both brands were built on craft, consistency and stubborn commitment to quality – factors that attracted a steady growth of customers, trusted partnerships and category leadership.
Britvic became the UK’s go-to soft drinks supplier, with an enviable portfolio of household names alongside exclusive long-term bottling partnerships. Carlsberg, meanwhile, strengthened its position through brewing heritage, a formidable distribution network with deep roots in the on trade.
What did the Carlsberg and Britvic merger achieve?
Carlsberg’s acquisition of Britvic was a game-changer for the UK drinks market: a single, genuinely multi-beverage business operating at scale across both beer and soft drinks.
Carlsberg Britvic is now the UK’s second-largest total beverage supplier, with a turnover of £2.3bn, five production facilities and a national logistics network serving grocery, wholesale and hospitality customers across the country.
Significant investment in the supply chain in 2025 has further strengthened capacity and service resilience.
Rather than managing multiple supplier relationships across categories, customers now have a single multi-beverage interface which allows for broader category conversations and cross-portfolio insight all under one roof.
Its first year as a combined business has brought a structural and commercial transformation that’s delivering innovation and operational strength without compromising service.
“This breadth in our portfolio gives us a unique advantage”
“A total drinks strategy across beer, cider, carbonates, energy, juice, mixers and functional drinks means we can respond to macro trends such as premiumisation, moderation, flavour exploration and health across the entire range at once.”
From Tango, J2O, London Essence, Plenish, Jimmy’s Iced Coffee and Lipton Ice Tea through to its trademark Danish Pilsner and Birrificio Angelo Poretti, described as the fastest-growing world lager brand, its strength lies in its one-stop shop capability.
Alcohol-free options are expanding oo, with 1664 Bière 0.0, Carlsberg 0.0, Poretti Alcohol Free and Brooklyn Special Effects all reflecting the shift in how customers drink.
How Carlsberg Britvic continues to innovate
But it’s not just nostalgia that keeps the two brands on the tip of people’s tongues. It’s their ongoing appeal in so many everyday moments with a touch of humour often thrown in.
Tango leans into internet culture with its cheekily titled ‘Thirst Trap’ launch and the bold, confrontational energy of Tango Sours while Carlsberg builds on its cultural platform with genuinely moving activations.
‘Signs of Unity’, a shared British Sign Language rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone at Liverpool FC’s Anfield, brought modern fans together in a way no TV ad could.
Robinsons teamed up with Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu to bring a bit of theatre to squash occasions, while Fruit Shoot championed accessibility with its innovative NaviLens packaging for blind and partially sighted shoppers.
Innovation is central to building resilience in a rapidly evolving market where habits change constantly. Pepsi’s Strawberries ‘N’ Cream and Cream Soda range was the most successful cola NPD of the past five years, and the latest additions – ice cream-inspired Cherry & Vanilla and Raspberry Ripple Zero Sugar flavours, launching now – are reaching a younger generation of shoppers into intentional treating.
Carlsberg Britvic's drinks portfolio
Long-term PepsiCo agreements cover Pepsi MAX®, 7UP®, Rockstar Energy and Lipton Ice Tea.
On the beer side, serves include Carlsberg Danish Pilsner and 1664, Brooklyn Brewery, Hobgoblin and Birrificio Angelo Poretti.
J2O Sparkling in Apple & Raspberry and Apple & Mango for younger non-alcohol drinkers seeking something that still feels celebratory.
Carlsberg Britvic's sustainability strategy
Sustainability sits at the heart of Carlsberg Britvic’s long-term strategy. Guided by the Carlsberg Group’s Brewing Tomorrow framework, the business is focused on cutting carbon, protecting nature, inspiring better choices and empowering people with a net zero value chain target by 2040. It’s an ambition that extends to the brands themselves.
Brooklyn Brewery is marking Pride 2026 with a limited-edition Stonewall Inn IPA can design created in collaboration with emerging artist @RobLikesToDraw and the Queer Youth Art Collective – a reminder that in today’s market, what a brand stands for matters as much as what’s in the glass.
For customers across hospitality, wholesale and retail, Carlsberg Britvic’s offer is straightforward – scale, breadth and a genuine partnership model built on 170 years of knowing what people want to drink.
