An unprecedented surge in demand for Guinness in the UK in recent weeks has led its brewer to boost supply amid reports of pub groups portioning the Irish stout to venues as the festive season ramps up.
Diageo, the multinational drinks firm that owns Guinness said it had seen “exceptional consumer demand” over the past month for the dark beer as colder weather sets in and the brand enjoys a resurgence in popularity aided by younger consumers and celebrity Kim Kardashian.
“We have maximised supply and we are working proactively with our customers to manage the distribution to trade as efficiently as possible,” a spokesperson for Diageo said.
According to The Times, pub groups warned venue managers of the prospect of limited stock in the lead-up to Christmas, with one saying in an email to venues “we have had to place stock on allocation for you”.
One pub company warned their managers that “quantities may be limited through the festive season”, The Times reported.
The Independent has approached several venue groups for comment, including Stonegate, Mitchells & Butlers, and JD Wetherspoon, which in May said demand for Guinness helped the UK pub chain to higher sales over the previous three months.
The company’s founder and chairman Tim Martin said at the time the group had benefited from the rocketing popularity of Guinness - previously pigeonholed to an image of an older generation’s, mostly male drink - and a revival for some traditional ale.
“The gods of fashion have smiled upon Guinness, previously consumed by blokes my age, but now widely adopted by younger generations.”
The #GuinnessChallenge, a viral sensation, took over Instagram and TikTok last year with videos of perfectly poured pints filling the feeds of younger drinkers, turning the stout into emblem of coolness.
Women have also helped drive a higher uptake of the stout in recent years.
Last year reality star Kim Kardashian shared an Instagram Story of herself at a pub in London, as she was holding a pint of Guinness and a shot. Musician Olivia Rodrigo was also pictured wearing a ‘Guinness is good 4 U’ top at her concert in Dublin earlier this year.
To meet the drink’s resurging popularity, Diageo has invested more than £165 million in a new brewery in County Kildare, west of Dublin, as well as about £24 million towards St James’s Gate brewery in Dublin to cater for the demand of its zero-alcohol product.
Recently, Diageo reported an 18 per cent growth in beer sales over the fiscal year, driven largely by increased demand for Guinness, with 0.0 sales doubling year on year.
