Guinness heist as 400 kegs of iconic stout stolen amid major shortage

Thieves made away with a massive haul of 400 50-litre kegs of Guinness, escalating the shortfall of the cherished Irish stout in UK pubs during the holiday season.

Diageo, the parent company of Guinness, had to limit the quantity of kegs available to UK pubs before Christmas due to soaring demand for the iconic stout.

The Guardian reported a lorry loaded with enough Guinness to fill 35,200 pints was stolen from a Northamptonshire depot in mid-December.

While Diageo remained quiet about the pinch, “sources familiar with the incident,” stated that a subcontractor in the Diageo supply chain rang up the police to report the heist. This comes as pubs were already dealing with restricted supplies of the renowned brew over the festive period following an unexpected spike in orders.

Guinness is among the most beloved drinks around the world
(Image: Vincent Isore/IP3/Getty Images)

Guinness has become notably trendy in the UK recently, particularly among the younger crowd. The BBC has noted that keg sales of Guinness have jumped 20 per cent on the previous year, driven by a fresh craze named “splitting the G”, taking Gen Z and millennials by storm.

As explained by the Irish Mirror, it involves downing a gulp of Guinness to make the foam settle perfectly in the centre of the “G” on the glass, creating a surge in “Guinness influencers” and leaving pub landlords desperate to get more of the iconic beverage amidst growing supply issues, reports Dublin Live.

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During the festive period, Diageo, makers of the iconic stout Guinness, was forced to set purchase caps for UK pubs and bars following a sharp spike in sales. To prevent panic buying and potential shortages, the company managed keg distributions on a weekly basis.

Further steps were taken to lessen the burden on publicans by drawing from Irish reserves to boost Guinness deliveries to the UK. A spokesperson for Diageo commented on these extraordinary measures, remarking that demand stayed at “unprecedented levels” over the holidays.

“We are producing more Guinness today than we ever have in our 265-year history, and we continue to work closely with customers across our network to manage Guinness distribution as efficiently as possible, ensuring we maximise supply and minimise disruptions for pubs and retailers,” they said. Looking to the future, the company plans to roll out a “phased replenishment” strategy after the new year to get Guinness stock levels back on even keel in the UK.

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Image Credits and Reference: https://www.irishstar.com/culture/food-drink/guinness-heist-stolen-shortage-pubs-34411107