In a daring heist, thieves made off with 400 50-litre kegs of Guinness, exacerbating the shortage of the iconic Irish stout in UK pubs over the festive season.
Drinks giant Diageo, which owns Guinness and manages supply of The Black Stuff, had to impose ‘allocation limits’ on the number of kegs UK pubs could receive in the run up to Christmas due to a surge in the stout’s popularity. According to The Guardian, a truck carrying enough Guinness for 35,200 pints was stolen from a logistics hub in Northamptonshire in mid-December.
While Diageo declined to comment on the alleged theft, “sources familiar with the incident,” reported that a subcontractor working for a company in the Diageo supply chain had reported the theft to the police. This occurred as limits were imposed on supply of the iconic Irish stout in the run up to Christmas after exceptional demand in recent weeks.
Guinness has seen a rise in popularity in the UK in recent years, particularly among young people. According to the BBC, sales of Guinness in kegs increased by 20% last year compared to 2023, likely due to a new trend among Gen Z and millennials, dubbed “splitting the G”.
It involves taking a sip of the Guinness to try and get the foam right in the middle of the “G” on the glass, reports the Irish Mirror. The phenomenon of “Guinness influencers” has pubs scrambling to stock up on the iconic stout, intensifying existing supply concerns.
Diageo, the producer of Guinness, had to impose purchase limits for UK pubs and bars during the festive period after a sales surge, managing keg allocations on a weekly basis to prevent panic buying and potential shortages. To alleviate the strain on publicans, Diageo even tapped into its Irish reserves to increase Guinness shipments to the UK.
A Diageo spokesperson commented on the situation, saying that demand remained at “unprecedented levels” throughout the holiday season. “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 stated.
The company is looking forward to implementing a “phased replenishment” strategy in the new year to stabilize Guinness supplies in the UK.
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