Damm to Become Exclusive Distributor of KIRIN ICHIBAN in the UK
The agreement will commence on 1st January 2025.
Spanish beer company Damm has signed a long-term deal with Japanese Brewery Kirin Holdings to become the exclusive UK distributor for the authentic KIRIN ICHIBAN beer.
The agreement will commence on 1st January 2025. ‘Kirin’ has been sold in the UK since 1993 and is the only major beer brewed exclusively with First Press wort – hence the name ‘Ichiban’, meaning ‘the first one’.
Thanks to this unique method, it is a flavourful yet smooth beer, with a gentle malt character, finely balanced by the bitterness of the hops. Subtle fruity aromas come from Kirin’s original yeast, with floral notes from selected hop varieties. These elements make KIRIN ICHIBAN the perfect fit with authentic cuisine from Japan – which is why UK-based Japanese restaurants (and even British pubs) that put importance on authenticity, tend to list KIRIN ICHIBAN on their menu.
Damm is a brewer from Barcelona whose main business activity is the production, bottling and distribution of beer, as well as other drinks including water, soft drinks, and milk. The company was founded in 1876 by the Alsatian brewing master August Kuentzmann Damm and today is present in more than 130 countries. It operates 17 production plants in the Iberian Peninsula and one in Bedford, United Kingdom. The company produces and packages over 21 million hectoliters of beer, water, soft drinks, milk and shakes. In 2023, its turnover reached 2,061 million euros and the total workforce of the company stood at 5,765 people at the end of the year.
