Probably the best lager in the world

Carlsberg A/S

File:Carlsberg logo.svg Logo used since 2014
Company type	Publicly traded Aktieselskab
Industry	Brewing
Founded	10 November 1847 (1847-11-10) in Copenhagen, Denmark
Founder	J. C. Jacobsen
Headquarters	Copenhagen , Denmark
Area served	Worldwide (Europe, Asia, others)
Products	Beer, other beverages
Number of employees	41,000
Website	www.carlsberggroup.com

Carlsberg A/S (; ) is a Danish global brewing company established in 1847 by J. C. Jacobsen, with its main office located in Copenhagen, Denmark. Following Jacobsen's passing in 1887, the majority stake has been held by the Carlsberg Foundation. The company's leading brand, Carlsberg, takes its name from Jacobsen’s son, Carl Jacobsen. The enterprise employs approximately 41,000 individuals, primarily throughout Europe and Asia.

By revenue, Carlsberg stands as the sixth largest brewery worldwide.

History

The inception of Carlsberg traces back to J. C. Jacobsen, a benefactor and advocate of scientific progress. The brewery’s inaugural batch was completed on 10 November 1847, with export activities commencing in 1868 to Edinburgh, Scotland. Initial branding featured symbols such as an elephant—which inspired certain lager names—and a swastika, which was phased out during the 1930s due to its association with Nazism.

In 1882, Jacobsen’s son, Carl Christian Hilmar Jacobsen, founded Ny (New) Carlsberg brewery, prompting his father to rename his establishment Gamle (Old) Carlsberg. Carl was also a passionate art collector who established the public Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek museum in Copenhagen in 1897. The two breweries were consolidated under Carl’s leadership in 1906 and remained unified until his death in 1914.

Established in 1875, the Carlsberg Laboratory specialized in brewing science with dedicated departments for Chemistry and Physiology. In 1883, Emil Christian Hansen isolated the yeast strain Saccharomyces carlsbergensis at this facility, which became essential for producing pale lagers and was openly shared by Carlsberg. The laboratory also played a role in developing the pH scale concept and advancing protein chemistry research. In 1972, the Carlsberg Research Centre was founded, granting the Laboratory autonomous status.

In 1876, J.C. Jacobsen founded the Carlsberg Foundation, governed by trustees from the Royal Danish Academy to supervise the Laboratory and promote scientific inquiry across natural sciences, mathematics, philosophy, humanities, and social sciences within Denmark. Due to disagreements with his son Carl, J.C. Jacobsen left his brewery to the Foundation upon his death in 1887.

Carlsberg issued its first international brewing license to Photos Photiades Breweries in Cyprus in 1966. Two years later, the company inaugurated its first brewery beyond Denmark’s borders in Blantyre, Malawi.

In 1970 (retroactively effective from 1969), Carlsberg merged with Tuborg Breweries to form De forenede Bryggerier (United Breweries AS). Later, it acquired Tetley in 1992 and became the sole proprietor of Carlsberg-Tetley by 1997.

In a joint acquisition with Heineken in 2008, Carlsberg purchased Scottish & Newcastle—the largest brewer in the UK—for £7.8 billion ($15.3 billion).

By 2013, Carlsberg had aligned itself with leading alcohol producers committing to reducing harmful drinking.

In November 2014, Carlsberg expanded its market presence by acquiring Olympic Brewery, Greece’s third-largest brewer, thereby becoming the second-largest player in that market.

The historic brewery site in Copenhagen closed for renovation in January 2020 and reopened as the Home of Carlsberg museum in December 2023.

In 2024, approval from a High Court allowed Carlsberg to acquire UK beverage manufacturer Britvic for £3.3 billion. This merger will establish a combined entity named Carlsberg Britvic; Britvic’s portfolio includes brands like J20, Robinsons squash, and Tango and employs around 4,500 staff based in Hemel Hempstead.

Regional operations

The Carlsberg Group organizes its business activities into three distinct market segments: Northern and Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Asia.

Europe

In 2004, Carlsberg Polska, the company’s Polish branch, gained complete ownership of the Okocim Group. This subsidiary manages four breweries employing approximately 1,250 staff members and commands a 14.4% share of the Polish beer market. Its prominent labels include Harnaś, Kasztelan, Okocim, Piast, Somersby, and Carlsberg. Since acquiring Žatecký Pivovar in 2014, located in the Czech town of Žatec—famed for producing Saaz hops, a high-quality hop variety vital to the region’s brewing tradition—Carlsberg has strengthened its foothold in the Czech Republic.

Baltic Beverages Holding (BBH), a Carlsberg-owned entity, primarily operates across the Baltic nations and Ukraine. It oversees Lithuanian breweries Švyturys and Utenos Alus, Estonia's Saku Brewery, and expanded its portfolio by acquiring Latvia’s Aldaris Brewery in 2008. Established in 1865, Aldaris is recognized for producing several well-known local beer brands.

Carlsberg Sweden is based in Stockholm and controls the Falcon Brewery situated in Falkenberg as well as the Ramlösa mineral water facility in Helsingborg. Its brand lineup features Carnegie Porter—a Baltic porter with 5.5% alcohol content—as well as Pripps and Falcon lagers. Within Norway, Carlsberg’s brand collection includes Arendals, Dahls, Frydenlund, Nordlands, Ringnes, and Tou.

Additional European brands under Carlsberg’s umbrella encompass Birrificio Angelo Poretti (Italy), Feldschlösschen (Switzerland), Holsten (Germany), Jacobsen (Denmark), Karhu (Finland), Kronenbourg (France), Super Bock (Portugal), and Tetley's (United Kingdom).

In October 2020, the UK Competition and Markets Authority approved a merger between Carlsberg UK and Marston's brewing operations to create Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company headquartered in Wolverhampton. Carlsberg initially held a 60% ownership stake. In 2024, Marston's divested its remaining 40% share for £206 million to concentrate on its pub business. Following Carlsberg’s acquisition of Britvic in 2025, the combined entity was rebranded as Carlsberg Britvic, integrating Carlsberg UK, the former Marston's brewing division, and Britvic under one corporate identity.

Russia and CIS

Carlsberg plays a significant role in the beer markets of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan through subsidiaries under Baltic Beverages Holding—a venture originally formed with Scottish & Newcastle in Russia. The group maintained majority ownership of Baltika Breweries, recognized as the largest brewery within both Russia and Eastern Europe. In early 2023, Carlsberg announced its withdrawal from the Russian market with plans to divest its operations by spring’s end. By late June of that year, the transaction was finalized pending regulatory approval from Russian authorities. However, in July 2023, the Russian government seized Baltika Breweries’ shares and transferred control to the Federal Agency for State Property Management.

In Uzbekistan, Carlsberg encountered legal disputes involving allegations of $4.6 million in unpaid taxes and unauthorized beer production spanning from 2008 to 2010. These issues resulted in production halting during March 2012 alongside unpaid leave for personnel. Later that year, an Uzbek court dismissed Carlsberg’s tax-related appeal. Production recommenced in April 2013 with an annual output of approximately 1.3 million litres featuring local labels such as Sarbast Original, Sarbast Extra, Sarbast Special, along with the internationally recognized Tuborg Green.

Within Azerbaijan’s market, Carlsberg manufactures the Khirdalan beer brand, reinforcing its regional presence.

North America

Within the United States, Carlsberg products are distributed by St. Killian Import Co., based in Everett, Massachusetts, which imports Carlsberg beer directly from Denmark. The imported lineup features Carlsberg Pilsner (available in 0.5 liter/16.9 oz. cans), Carlsberg Beer (offered in bottles and kegs), Carlsberg Elephant, Kronenbourg 1664, Grimbergen, Tetley's English Ale, and Okocim.

In Canada, Carlsberg beer was brewed by Canadian Breweries/Carling O'Keefe starting in 1972. Following the merger of Carling O'Keefe with Molsons, Carlsberg established its own brewery operations. In December 2022, Carlsberg expanded its presence by acquiring Waterloo Brewing, located in Ontario.

East Asia

Carlsberg's exports to China date back to 1876. By the late 1990s, the company operated two breweries within China: one in Huizhou and another in Shanghai. The Huizhou Brewery, situated in Guangdong Province and acquired in 1995, served markets across mainland China and Hong Kong. Beginning production in 1998 after an investment of approximately US$30 million, the Shanghai brewery saw a majority stake sold to Tsingtao Brewery in 2000, with Carlsberg completely withdrawing by 2008. The Hong Kong-based Tai Po brewery, launched in 1981, ceased operations in 1999 due to elevated operational costs.

In 2003, Carlsberg expanded its footprint by acquiring Kunming Brewery and Dali Brewery in Yunnan province; at that time, Dali was Yunnan’s largest brewery. The following year, Carlsberg became a significant shareholder in Lhasa Brewery located in Tibet, notable for being the group’s highest-altitude facility at 3,700 meters above sea level.

August 2011 marked the formation of a joint venture—Chongqing Xinghui Investment Co., Ltd.—with Chongqing Brewery and Chongqing Light Textile Holding. This partnership manages twelve breweries across Chongqing, Sichuan, Guangxi, Guizhou, and Hunan provinces. Carlsberg secured a 30% ownership through an investment of roughly US$30.9 million.

Additionally, Carlsberg holds ownership of Wusu Beer Group based in Urumqi, Xinjiang region of Northwest China.

South Asia

Carlsberg India Pvt. Ltd., headquartered in Gurgaon, operates as a foreign direct investment entity dedicated to brewing and marketing Carlsberg beer throughout India. Alongside Carlsberg, it promotes the Tuborg and Palone brands; Palone is marketed as a 'strong' beer with 7.5% alcohol by volume to appeal to the dominant strong beer segment that accounted for over 72% of the nearly 17 million hectoliters market volume in 2008. The company runs five breweries across India: Alwar (Rajasthan) and Aurangabad (Maharashtra), both inaugurated in 2008; Paonta Sahib (Himachal Pradesh) since 2007; Kolkata (West Bengal) since 2009; Patna since 2014; Dharuhera since 2013; and Hyderabad (Telangana) since 2010. Employing more than 700 staff members, the operation is led by Managing Director Michael Norgaard Jensen.

Southeast Asia

Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad was incorporated in 1969 and has been brewing locally since 1972 at its Shah Alam facility in Selangor. It commands over half of Malaysia's beer market share. The company produces and distributes beer, stout, and various beverages domestically while maintaining investments across Sri Lanka, Singapore, and a Malaysian alcoholic beverage firm. Its product portfolio includes Carlsberg Danish Pilsner, Smooth Draught, Special Brew, Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc, Sapporo Premium Beer, Somersby Ciders, SKOL beer, Danish Royal Stout, as well as the non-alcoholic Nutrimalt. International brands such as Hoegaarden, Stella Artois, Budweiser, Grimbergen, and Beck's are also imported but recent efforts have concentrated on reinforcing the Carlsberg brand itself. In November 2024, Managing Director Stefano Clini revealed plans for a RM343 million investment aimed at improving brewery sustainability and operational efficiency.

Since 1982 in the Philippines, Asia Brewery has brewed Carlsberg products at its Cabuyao facility in Laguna. In Indonesia, Delta Djakarta produces Carlsberg under license; this company is partially owned by San Miguel Brewery.

In January 2013, Carlsberg entered into a joint venture with Myanmar Golden Star to establish a brewery near Yangon. Carlsberg holds a majority share of 51%, with initial capital estimated between $35 million and $50 million.

Starting March 2013, Carlsberg's Russian facility began producing Singha beer intended for European markets. Other brands within Southeast Asia include Vietnam’s Halida Beer.

West Asia

In Israel, Carlsberg and Tuborg are produced by the Israel Beer Breweries facility located in Ashkelon. These brands entered the Israeli market in 1992, initially as imports from Copenhagen. Local brewing operations commenced in 1995 at a newly established brewery situated above a substantial underground aquifer.

Carlsberg

Carlsberg stands as the premier label within the Carlsberg Group’s extensive portfolio of 155 brands. This pilsner-style beer has an alcohol content of 5% abv (previously 3.8% abv in the UK, which was lowered to 3.4% due to increased duty taxes, now marketed as Carlsberg Danish Pilsner). It is distributed worldwide, reaching approximately 140 countries. The beer is also identified as Carlsberg Lager, Carlsberg Beer, and Carlsberg Pilsner, having been first brewed in 1904 by Carl Jacobsen, son of the brewery’s founder J. C. Jacobsen.

The Carlsberg pilsner brought back the Art Nouveau-inspired logo created by Thorvald Bindesbøll, which has remained largely unchanged since its inception in 1904 and was later adopted as the official corporate emblem.

Within Denmark, the beer was branded as Hof (meaning court) due to its Royal Warrant. This designation was used from 1931 until it was phased out in Denmark in 1991, though it still appears in markets such as the UK and Sweden.

Special Brew

Special Brew is a high-strength lager brewed across Denmark, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom. It was originally developed by Carlsberg in 1950 to commemorate Winston Churchill’s visit to Denmark. Its flavor profile includes cognac undertones, reflecting Churchill’s fondness for brandy. In 1951, Churchill received two crates of this beer and referred to it as "Commemoration Lager." In Denmark, it was formerly known as ("Easter Brew"), which was later replaced by a lighter beer (). For the UK market, production of Special Brew began in Northampton during the mid-1970s.

With an ABV of 7.5% (formerly up to 9%), Special Brew classifies as a "super-strength" lager in the UK and is considered malt liquor in the US. It is frequently associated with consumption at street level. A single 440mL can contains 3.5 units of alcohol—surpassing the UK’s recommended daily limit of two units for men. In response to government regulations capping cans at four units maximum, Carlsberg reduced both can volume from 500mL to 440mL and alcohol content from 9% to 7.5% by 2015.

Elephant beer

In 1901, brewer Carl Jacobsen commissioned architect J. L. Dahlerup to design a tower supported by four granite elephants sourced from Bornholm island. Drawing inspiration from Rome’s Piazza della Minerva obelisk, each elephant bears the initials of Jacobsen's children: Theodora, Paula, Helge, and Vagn. This structure, known as The Elephant Gate, remains a prominent entrance to the brewery.

Jacobsen’s motto, Laboremus pro Patria (Let us work for our country), is engraved on the west side of the gate. The Elephant became a symbol after launching the strong Elephant Beer in 1955 under the name Export Lager Beer featuring the Elephant emblem. It continues to be brewed in Copenhagen and exported worldwide, with some markets producing it locally according to the original formula.

Additional brands within Carlsberg Group's portfolio

• E.C. Dahls (Norway)
• Farris mineral water (Norway)
• Falcon Brewery (Sweden)
• Feldschlösschen (Switzerland)
• Grimbergen (Belgium, International)
• Holsten Brewery (Germany, International)
• Jacobsen by Carlsberg (Denmark)
• Kronenbourg / 1664 (France, International)
• Lao Brewery Company (Laos)
• Lav pivo (Serbia)
• Lvivske (Ukraine)
• Mythos Brewery (Greece)
• Pripps Blå (Sweden)
• Ringnes Bryggeri (Norway)
• Slavutych Brewery (Ukraine)
• Solo soft drink (Norway)
• Somersby ciders by Carlsberg (Denmark, International)
• Super Bock (Portugal)
• Švyturys (Lithuania)
• Tetley's Bitter (UK, International)
• Tuborg by Carlsberg (Denmark, International)
• Neptun Brewery and Saltum Breweries (Denmark)
• Kongens Bryghus / Kings Brewery by Carlsberg (Denmark)
• Caleidoskope Brewing Company by Carlsberg (Denmark)
• Carlsberg Brand Store (Denmark)
• Chaise Rouge Brewery by Carlsberg (Denmark)
• Crafted By Carlsberg (Denmark)
• Coolship Brewing Company Viking Museum Ladby by Carlsberg (Denmark)
• Skands Microbrewery by Carlsberg (Denmark)
• Semper Ardens by Carlsberg (Denmark)
• Wiibroe Brewery and affiliated microbreweries by Carlsberg (Denmark)
• Star Brewery by Carlsberg (Denmark)
• House of Beer A/S by Carlsberg (Denmark)
• Houlbjerg Bryggeri by Carlsberg (Denmark)
• Jacobsen / Husbryggeriet Jacobsen by Carlsberg (Denmark)
• Nordlands (Norway)
• Coca-Cola production licenses in Denmark
• Monster Energy drink licenses in Denmark
• Tuborg squash soda
• Carlsberg sport soda

Carlsberg Group produces a portfolio exceeding 500 distinct beer varieties worldwide.

Visitors centre

Situated at 11 Gamle Carlsberg Vej, 2500 Valby, Denmark, the Carlsberg Visitors Centre occupies the original grounds of the historic brewery. Within its courtyard stands a smaller-scale replica of the Little Mermaid Statue, gifted to Copenhagen by founder Carl Jacobsen. Nearby is the Jacobsen House Brewery, a microbrewery dedicated to crafting the Jacobsen line of specialty beers. Visitors receive a complimentary beverage upon entry, and the centre is conveniently located just a five-minute stroll from Carlsberg train station.

Advertising

The renowned slogan "Probably the best lager in the world" was conceived in 1973 by Tony Bodinetz at KMP specifically for the UK market. This phrase became a central element in Carlsberg’s international advertising campaigns from the 1980s until it was mostly succeeded in 2011 by "That calls for a Carlsberg." The initial 1983 commercial featured narration by actor Orson Welles, whose distinctive voice has been reused in subsequent advertisements. Welles accepted minimal compensation due to his appreciation for the campaign. In certain regions, the tagline was modified to "Probably the best beer in the world."

Carlsberg also made an appearance in the film Ice Cold in Alex, which inspired the UK slogan "worth waiting for."

The company encountered criticism for violating its own alcohol advertising guidelines in Malawi.

In 2011, a brand refresh introduced "That calls for a Carlsberg" across 140 countries with a new television commercial titled 'Spaceman.' This change aimed to increase market share in Asia and the Far East, responding to concerns that the previous tagline's use of "probably" was too understated.

Sponsorships

Carlsberg's sponsorship efforts are split between commercial advertising initiatives by the Carlsberg Brewery and substantial support for arts and scientific research through the Carlsberg Foundation, which holds ownership of the brewery.

The brewery has played a prominent role as a sponsor for major football tournaments such as Euro 2008, UEFA Euro 2012, and UEFA Euro 2016. Additionally, Carlsberg backed the 2004 European Football Championship and the 1990 FIFA World Cup. Their widely recognized marketing tagline is "probably the best lager in the world". In the United Kingdom, Carlsberg served as the principal shirt sponsor for Liverpool F.C. from 1992 until 2016. A notable instance occurred during a league fixture against Chelsea F.C in 2010 when Liverpool's jerseys featured the Carlsberg logo written in Chinese, coinciding with Liverpool’s involvement at the World Expo in Shanghai.

Carlsberg extends its sponsorship to clubs such as F.C. Copenhagen, Havant and Waterlooville, Odense Boldklub, and Pirin Blagoevgrad, while also acting as a secondary sponsor for both the Republic of Ireland national football team and Tottenham Hotspur F.C.. Beyond football, Carlsberg supports other sports disciplines including golf and skiing. In 2011, Carlsberg entered into a sponsorship agreement with Hajduk Split, providing €40,000 in 2013 to assist the club during financial hardship.

In August 2011, Carlsberg was appointed as the official beer sponsor of Arsenal F.C for a three-year term and later sponsored the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens tournament in 2015.

Goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel was named Carlsberg’s inaugural global brand ambassador, leading their UEFA Euro 2016 promotional campaign.

The Carlsberg Foundation has financed significant scientific ventures, such as founding the Institute of Theoretical Physics (also known as the "Niels Bohr Institute") in Copenhagen in 1921, which is renowned as a cradle of quantum mechanics. Other foundation-backed projects include dating ice cores from Greenland, researching Northern Europe's Iron Age, investigating molecular biodiversity, and developing digital dictionaries.

China

The Danish investigative platform Danwatch has accused Carlsberg of complicity in government oppression of Uyghurs by maintaining brewery operations, producing Wusu Beer, and organizing the Wusu Beer Festival in Xinjiang, despite official policies discouraging alcohol consumption among Muslims.

Nepal

A factory owned by Carlsberg in Nepal was identified as a major source of pollution affecting a nearby river. While initially denying involvement, Carlsberg acknowledged responsibility in 2018.

Russia

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Carlsberg declared intentions to withdraw from the Russian market in March 2022. Yet by March 2023, the company had not exited and was reportedly considering an option to repurchase its stake. In June 2023, Carlsberg agreed to divest its Russian operations. Subsequently, in July 2023, Russian authorities seized shares of Baltika Breweries—owned by Carlsberg—placing it under control of the Russian Federal Agency for State Property Management. CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen stated toward the end of 2023 that Russia had effectively expropriated their business and that negotiations with Russian officials would not take place.

See also

• Beer in Denmark

External links

• Official Carlsberg Beer website