Carlsberg Group

What Carlsberg Group does

Carlsberg Group is a Denmark-headquartered, publicly listed global brewer and multi-beverage company (Nasdaq Copenhagen: CARL.A / CARL.B) operating in more than 150 markets with over 37,000 employees and a portfolio of 140+ brands including Carlsberg, Tuborg, 1664, Grimbergen, Somersby, Brooklyn, and Beerlao. The company generates the majority of its revenue from brewing and selling beer and other alcoholic beverages across premium, mainstream, and economy tiers, and since the January 2025 acquisition of Britvic plc it has extended into soft drinks, juices, and mixers in the UK. Carlsberg also serves as PepsiCo's exclusive bottler across 14 markets in Europe, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia from 2029, replacing Coca-Cola as its bottling partner in the Nordics and Baltics.

The company monetizes primarily through one-time product sales via direct sales forces in owned markets, channel partners and distributors in non-owned markets, and on-premise hospitality accounts, with secondary licensing royalty income from partners such as Tilray for US distribution from January 2027. Carlsberg's distribution channels span direct enterprise sales, retailer and hospitality partnerships, state-run depot systems in India, and licensed bottling arrangements. Its technology backbone rests on the Carlsberg Research Laboratory, which has historically produced foundational scientific discoveries (pH scale, yeast purification, barley and hop genome sequencing) and now applies AI and machine learning to recipe design, consumer trend analysis, and supply chain management. Carlsberg is controlled by the Carlsberg Foundation, which holds approximately 30% of share capital, providing long-term ownership stability, and is preparing a Carlsberg India IPO targeting up to $700 million.

Name

Carlsberg Group

Legal name

Carlsberg A/S

Website

https://carlsberggroup.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1847

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Carlsberg Group is a Denmark-headquartered global brewer and multi-beverage company operating in 150+ markets with 140+ brands including Carlsberg, Tuborg, 1664, and Somersby, and is PepsiCo's exclusive bottler across 14 markets from 2029.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brewing

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Breweries (312120), Beverage Manufacturing (3121)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Alcoholic Beverage Brand Owners & Holding Companies (Multi-category Portfolios) (CRADAIAL), Regional & National Breweries (THAFALAD)

Keywords

• Brewed beer products
• Cider beverages
• Alcohol-free beers
• Multi-beverage portfolio
• Brewery operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Beer and Alcoholic Beverages: Carlsberg generates primary revenue through brewing and selling beer and other alcoholic beverages across its portfolio of over 140 brands including Carlsberg, Tuborg, 1664, Grimbergen, and regional brands.
2. Soft Drinks and Multi-Beverage: Following the Britvic acquisition, Carlsberg now produces and distributes soft drinks, juices, mixers, and licensed beverages including PepsiCo products across multiple markets.
3. Licensing and Brand Partnerships: Carlsberg licenses its brands to partners like Tilray for US production and distribution, generating royalty income.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Carlsberg Group is a global brewer producing and selling alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages including beer, cider, and soft drinks across more than 150 markets. The company operates a portfolio of over 140 brands including Carlsberg, Tuborg, 1664, Grimbergen, Somersby, Brooklyn, and Beerlao, and has expanded into soft drinks through its acquisition of Britvic plc and bottling partnerships with PepsiCo.

Product overview

Carlsberg Group is a leading global brewery with an extensive portfolio of beer and other beverage brands operating across more than 150 markets. The company offers a diverse portfolio spanning core beer brands (Carlsberg, Tuborg Green, 1664 Blanc, Grimbergen), ciders (Somersby, Bad Apple, Golden Cap), alcohol-free alternatives (Carlsberg Nordic Gylden Bryg, Birell, Brooklyn Special Effects), regional brands (Beerlao, Feldschlösschen, Birrificio Angelo Poretti, Kasztelan, Alivaria), and acquired premium brands (Brooklyn). The company also expanded into soft drinks through its acquisition of Britvic and serves as a multi-beverage partner for PepsiCo and Coca-Cola in various markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Carlsberg: Core global beer brand, the company's flagship offering established in 1847. Available in markets worldwide.
• Tuborg
• 1664 Blanc
• Somersby
• Brooklyn
• Grimbergen
• Beerlao
• Carlsberg Nordic

Products and services

• Carlsberg The flagship beer brand of Carlsberg Group, established in 1847. The brand includes various variants including Carlsberg Non-alcoholic and Carlsberg Nordic Gylden Bryg.
• 1664 Blanc Premium wheat beer with a delicate taste of citrus fruits and coriander spice. Features subtle aromas and a beautiful haziness, brewed with a French touch.
• Tuborg Green Pilsner beer at 4.6% ABV, one of Carlsberg's flagship international beer brands, particularly strong in Asian markets.
• Grimbergen Abbey-style beer brand featuring Grimbergen Double-Ambrée, with the phoenix as its symbol representing rising from the ashes.
• Somersby Apple Cider Easy drinking apple cider with a unique balanced taste. Pleasant sparkling sweetness with a fruity and sour balance for a refreshing drink.
• Brooklyn Pilsner Refreshing golden lager beer brewed in the style favored by New York's pre-prohibition brewers. Made with German two-row barley malts and German hops.
• Brooklyn Special Effects Alcohol-free hoppy lager with an unexpected piney aroma and pleasantly bitter finish. Dry-hopped with Citra and Amarillo hops.
• Carlsberg Nordic Gylden Bryg Alcohol-free clear pilsner beer with a beautiful crystal clear and golden colour. Well-balanced taste with fresh notes of floral fragrance.
• Birell Alcohol Free Belgian Wit Alcohol-free beer developed specifically to deliver the same body, mouthfeel, foam, and great taste as regular beer. Made from ingredients of natural origin.
• Beerlao Gold

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.8% organic volume growth in Q1 2026, first quarterly growth in over a year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• SAI PlatformminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Carlsberg participates in the Regenerating Together Programme (RTP), an industry-wide initiative backed by more than 40 global food and agriculture companies to accelerate practical implementation of regenerative agriculture across global supply chains.
• Varun BeveragesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 30 April 2026Strategic partnership with Varun Beverages for potential beer market entry in select African markets, broadening Carlsberg's portfolio beyond soft drinks through Varun's distribution network.
• PepsiCocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Carlsberg expanded its strategic partnership with PepsiCo to become exclusive bottler for Denmark, Finland, and Baltic states from January 2029, covering 14 markets total across Europe, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. Carlsberg will replace Coca-Cola as bottling partner and end existing Coca-Cola agreements in Denmark and Finland by end of 2028.
• WWF DenmarkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Third phase (2026-2028) of strategic partnership focusing on restoring degraded wetlands and improving water availability in vulnerable areas across Asia (Nepal, China's Yellow River basin, Laos). Prior phases replenished 1.2 million cubic meters of water in 2025.
• Liverpool Football ClubcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 February 202630+ year partnership including 'Signs of Unity' accessibility initiative with British Sign Language interpretation at Anfield Stadium, BSL interpreters at all home matches, and bar staff training at Greene King Sport Pubs.
• PepsiCo (Poppi)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 February 2026Carlsberg Britvic produces and distributes PepsiCo's prebiotic soda brand Poppi in the UK through exclusive Tesco listing, with expansion planned later in 2026.
• Tilray BrandscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 18 February 2026Exclusive five-year licensing agreement (with automatic five-year renewal) for Tilray to produce, market, sell, and distribute Carlsberg brands including Carlsberg, Carlsberg Elephant, 1664, and Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc across all US channels starting January 1, 2027.
• Britvic plccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Carlsberg completed acquisition of Britvic plc in January 2025, establishing fully integrated beverage business in the UK. Britvic supplies branded soft drinks, juices, mixers, and licensed beverages including PepsiCo products.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Anheuser-Busch InBev: World's largest brewer with brands including Budweiser, Stella Artois, and Corona. Directly competes with Carlsberg globally across mainstream and premium beer segments, particularly in markets like India where both companies hold significant shares.
• Molson Coors Beverage Company: Mid-sized global brewer with Coors, Miller, and Staropramen. Comparable in scale to Carlsberg's non-Brazil operations, with similar exposure to mature markets and brand-led premiumization strategies.
• Kirin Holdings: Japanese brewer with Kirin Ichiban, Budweiser (Australia licensee), and craft acquisitions. Comparable as a multi-region brewer with growing alcohol-free and health-and-wellness beverage initiatives.
• Heineken N.V. Second-largest global brewer with Heineken, Amstel, and Desperados. Competes head-to-head with Carlsberg in Western Europe, Africa, and Asia, and like Carlsberg is pursuing premiumization and alcohol-free expansion.
• Asahi Group Holdings: Japanese brewer with global brands including Asahi Super Dry, Peroni, and Pilsner Urquell. A direct peer given similar premium beer portfolios, multi-market presence, and acquisitions of European beer brands.

Broad incumbents

• Pernod Ricard: Global spirits leader with Jameson, Absolut, and Chivas Regal. Overlaps with Carlsberg in on-premise, India market dynamics, and broader alcoholic beverage retail/wholesale relationships.
• Diageo plc: Global beverage alcohol leader with Guinness, Johnnie Walker, and Tanqueray. Less directly comparable on beer, but competes with Carlsberg in India, on-premise hospitality, and adjacent categories like cider and ready-to-drink.

Regional players

• Royal Unibrew: Nordic multi-beverage company with beer, soft drinks, and energy drinks across Northern and Eastern Europe. Comparable to Carlsberg's multi-beverage strategy following Britvic, especially in the Nordics and Baltics where both operate.

Emerging players

• Boston Beer Company: US craft brewer with Samuel Adams and Truly Hard Seltzer. Comparable on craft/premium positioning and the pivot toward alcohol-free and non-traditional beer-adjacent categories.
• Tilray Brands: Cannabis and beverage company now Carlsberg's exclusive US licensing partner. A peer in cannabis-adjacent beverages and Tilray's existing craft beer portfolio overlaps with Carlsberg's Brooklyn and 1664 positioning in the US market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/carlsberggroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carlsberg-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/carlsberggroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A6 records

Investments7 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Carlsberg Group