Molson Coors is to close its Franciscan Well brewery in Cork, in the latest blow to the industry in Ireland.
The US giant will cease production of its Franciscan Well brands “early in the new year”, it said in a statement.
“This decision has not been taken lightly, and we are providing our 15 impacted employees with every support,” the company said.
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Molson bought Franciscan Well in 2013, in what was one of the first big deals by a drinks multinational for a craft beer brewery here. It is perhaps best known for its Chieftan IPA and Rebel Red ale, among other drinks.
While the company plans to shutter the business, it is “open to conversations with interested parties about the future of the brewery and brands”.
“In the face of a challenging craft beer category and other economic pressures impacting our customers and consumers, it has not been possible to grow the brands to the level needed to sustain the brewery as part of our UK and Ireland production network. Our local distribution partner will be working with customers in the coming weeks,” the company said.
The craft beer industry has struggled with spiralling costs in recent years and had been hit with a jump in commercial water charges this year as well as US tariffs. While Franciscan Well was backed by Molson Coors, many independent businesses without a big backer have struggled to manage these costs without passing them onto consumers.
“We have entered into a consultation process with our impacted employees and will work through this process with integrity and respect for everyone affected. We will seek redeployment for all displaced employees wherever possible,” Molson said.
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Killarney Brewing and Distilling shut its doors in July with the loss of 50 jobs. The squeeze hasn’t just hit the beer industry, with a string of whiskey distillers also struggling this year.
