What Ringnes does

Ringnes AS is Norway's largest brewery and beverage company, founded in 1877 and wholly owned by the Carlsberg Group. The company produces and distributes beer, cider, soft drinks, and bottled water through a portfolio of approximately 40 brands spanning both proprietary Norwegian heritage labels (Ringnes, Frydenlund, E.C. Dahls, Arendals, Munkholm, Solo, Farris, Imsdal, Nordlands, Tou) and international brands distributed under license (Carlsberg, Tuborg, Guinness, Kronenbourg, Pepsi MAX, 7UP, Schweppes, Gatorade, Lipton, Brooklyn, Somersby). Operations are anchored by the Gjelleråsen brewery near Oslo (which handles approximately 400 million liters of throughput annually and is undergoing Ringnes' largest industrial investment in decades through 2027), complemented by the E.C. Dahls brewery in Trondheim, the Farris mineral water facility in Larvik, and the Imsdal water source in Stor-Elvdal, supported by an automated warehouse with 34,000 pallet positions.

The business operates a dual-channel go-to-market: wholesale supply to Norwegian grocery retail (dagligvare) for at-home consumption, and direct field sales to the on-trade/hospitality sector (uteliv) including bars, restaurants, cafés, and event venues. Distribution is reinforced by five Cash & Carry outlets (Oslo, Trondheim, Larvik, Stavanger, Arendal) and a 24/7 B2B e-commerce webshop. Revenue is generated primarily through wholesale hardware sales of beverages, supplemented by technical services for hospitality customers including keg systems (DraughtMaster), refrigerators, mobile bars, and draft line maintenance. Pricing operates on a wholesale, ex-tax basis with delivery surcharges for non-standard days and minimum order quantities of 10 cases. In 2020, Ringnes reached agreement with the Norwegian Competition Authority on 14 remedial measures governing its on-trade beer sales.

The company employs approximately 900 people across Norway with over 140 distinct job titles, having undergone significant restructuring from approximately 3,500 employees in 1990. Ringnes is led by CEO Marianne Ødegaard Ribe (appointed 2022) and operates as part of Carlsberg Group's Western Europe regional structure. Customer segments include Norwegian households (retail/grocery), the hospitality trade, and specialty local-beer enthusiasts; named partnerships include Ullevaal Stadion (national football venue technical services), Coop (beer education), Munkholm-Redningsselskapet (maritime safety), and Carlsberg Group parent.

Name

Ringnes

Legal name

Ringnes AS

Website

https://ringnes.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

1877

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Ringnes AS is Norway's largest brewery and beverage company, producing and distributing approximately 40 beer, cider, soft drink, and water brands through wholesale grocery channels, direct on-trade hospitality sales, and 5 Cash & Carry outlets, wholly owned by Carlsberg Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brewery and Beverage Production

NAICS

Beverage Manufacturing (3121), Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (4248), Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers (42481)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180), Bottled & Canned Soft Drinks & Carbonated Waters (2086)

akta.pro primary industry

Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service) (THAFALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Craft & Specialty Beverage Wholesale (Local/Artisanal) (AFAIAGAH), Specialty & Gourmet Foods Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAI)

Keywords

• Beverage manufacturing
• Beer production
• Soft drinks distribution
• Bottled water
• Alcoholic beverages

Headquarters

HQ city

Oslo

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Alcoholic Beverages (Beer & Cider): Production and sale of beer, cider, and alcoholic beverages through wholesale to retailers (dagligvare) and the on-trade/hospitality sector (uteliv). Ringnes produces both their own brands (Frydenlund, Dahls, Ringnes, Tou, Arendals) and international brands under license (Carlsberg, Tuborg, Guinness, Kronenbourg).
2. Soft Drinks & Water: Production and distribution of carbonated drinks, still beverages, and water including brands like Pepsi MAX, Solo, Farris, Imsdal, 7UP, and more. Both regular and sugar-free variants available.
3. Alcohol-Free Beer: Growing category including Munkholm (Norway's best-selling alcohol-free beer), Carlsberg Alcohol Free, and Brooklyn Special Effects. This segment is growing with Ringnes targeting larger volume growth than alcoholic beer annually.
4. On-Trade Hospitality Sales: Direct sales to bars, restaurants, cafes, and event venues. Ringnes provides technical equipment (keg systems, refrigerators, mobile bars) and draft beer services to the hospitality sector.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ringnes AS manufactures and distributes a portfolio of approximately 40 beverage brands across beer, cider, soft drinks, water, and non-alcoholic categories. The company produces its own Norwegian heritage brands (Ringnes, Frydenlund, E.C. Dahls, Arendals, Munkholm, Imsdal, Farris, Solo) at facilities including the Gjelleråsen brewery near Oslo, while also distributing international brands under license (Carlsberg, Tuborg, Guinness, Pepsi MAX, 7UP, Brooklyn). Its primary commercial focus is B2B wholesale to Norwegian grocery retail and on-trade hospitality customers, complemented by five Cash & Carry outlets and a B2B webshop for licensed customers.

Product overview

Ringnes is Norway's largest brewery and beverage company, operating as part of Carlsberg Group. The company offers a broad portfolio of 40 local and international brands across three main categories: (1) Beer, cider and alcoholic drinks including Ringnes, Frydenlund, E.C. Dahls, Carlsberg, Tuborg, and various international craft beers; (2) Non-alcoholic beer and cider with the Munkholm brand as Norway's leading non-alcoholic beer; (3) Soft drinks, water and other beverages including Pepsi MAX, Solo, Farris, Imsdal, 7UP, Gatorade, Schweppes, and Lipton. The company operates Gjelleråsen brewery near Oslo, E.C. Dahls brewery in Trondheim, Imsdal water source in Stor-Elvdal, and Farris production in Larvik. Ringnes also operates Ringnes Brygghus as a visitor center and pub in Oslo, and provides B2B services through online shop and Cash & Carry wholesale outlets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Frydenlund: Norwegian beer brand founded 1859
• E.C. Dahls
• Arendals
• Munkholm
• Solo
• Farris
• Imsdal
• Pepsi Max
• 7UP
• Nordlands

Products and services

• Ringnes Pilsner and Heritage Beers Core Norwegian heritage beer brand produced at the Gjelleråsen brewery near Oslo, sold across grocery retail and on-trade hospitality channels in Norway.
• Frydenlund Beer Oslo-based Norwegian beer brand offering pilsner and fatøl varieties; marketed as a heritage Norwegian lager with Norway's first registered trademark.
• E.C. Dahls Beer Trondheim-based regional Norwegian beer brand producing pils, summer beer, and seasonal varieties; sold via grocery retail and the Trondheim Cash & Carry outlet.
• Arendals Beer Regional Norwegian beer brand founded 1839 in Arendal, producing pilsner style beer for nationwide distribution through Ringnes' channels.
• Munkholm Non-Alcoholic Beer Norway's leading non-alcoholic beer brand available in multiple variants including Original, Fatøl, Bayer, Fruktig IPA, and Radler flavors (including Radler Sitron 2022 and Radler Bringebær & Sitron 2021).
• Carlsberg and Tuborg Beers Danish lager brands (Carlsberg and Tuborg) brewed and distributed under license from Carlsberg Group, available in retail and on-trade channels across Norway.
• Guinness and Other Licensed International Beers Portfolio of licensed international specialty beers — Guinness stout, Brooklyn Lager/Pilsner/Special Effects, Jacobsen craft brews, Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc, and Birrificio Angelo Poretti — distributed by Ringnes in Norway.
• Somersby Cider Scandinavian fruit-flavored cider brand produced and distributed by Ringnes under license in Norway.
• Pepsi MAX and Pepsi Portfolio Zero-sugar cola flagship and broader Pepsi portfolio (Pepsi MAX, Pepsi MAX Koffeinfri) produced at Gjelleråsen under license and distributed across Norwegian grocery and hospitality channels.
• 7UP Zero Pink Lemonade Zero-sugar pink lemonade variant of 7UP, added to Ringnes' 7UP portfolio and distributed via Norwegian grocery retail.
• Solo and Solo Sub-Brands Iconic Norwegian soft drink brand and its flavored sub-variants (Solo, Solo Super Pære & Fersken, Solo Super Rød Appelsin, Solo Rabarbra & Bringebær) produced at Gjelleråsen for retail and hospitality distribution.
• Farris Mineral Water Norwegian mineral water brand produced at the Farris facility in Larvik, including flavored variants such as Farris Frus Eple og Kiwi for retail and hospitality customers.
• Imsdal Spring Water Norwegian spring water brand bottled at the Imsdal source facility in Stor-Elvdal, including flavored lemonade variants for retail distribution across Norway.
• Other Licensed Soft Drinks and Mixers (7UP, Gatorade, Schweppes, Lipton) Licensed non-alcoholic beverage portfolio (7UP, Gatorade sports drinks, Schweppes mixers, Lipton ready-to-drink iced tea) distributed by Ringnes across Norwegian grocery retail and hospitality channels.
• Ringnes Brygghus Visitor Center and Pub Brewery visitor center and pub in Oslo offering brewery tours, beer tastings, pizza, and the Ringnes Brygghus beer education program aimed at consumers and trade customers.
• Ringnes B2B Webshop B2B e-commerce platform at shop.ringnes.no enabling licensed trade customers to browse the full product range, place orders, manage favorites, schedule deliveries and access account-specific pricing 24/7.
• Cash & Carry Wholesale Outlets Five-location physical wholesale network (Oslo, Trondheim, Larvik, Stavanger, Arendal) where licensed trade buyers and licensed individuals can purchase Ringnes' full product range in person with case-quantity minimum order of 10 cases.
• On-Trade Technical Draft Equipment Service Technical equipment provision and service for hospitality venues including DraughtMaster keg systems, refrigerators, mobile bars, draft line installation/maintenance and event logistics for major venues.

Quantifiable outcome

• 52% of Ringnes' value chain emissions are related to packaging - making sustainable packaging a key environmental focus area
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 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 core and minor.

• Carlsberg GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2025Ringnes is owned by Carlsberg Group, the world's third largest brewing conglomerate. This ownership provides access to international brands (Carlsberg, Tuborg, Guinness, Kronenbourg), technology sharing, and international career opportunities. Ringnes operates as part of Carlsberg's Western Europe regional structure.
• Konkurransetilsynet (Norwegian Competition Authority)coreOthers · 11 June 2020Following an investigation, Ringnes reached agreement with the Norwegian Competition Authority on 14 remedial measures for beer sales to the on-trade market. The authority appointed a monitor to oversee compliance. This does not imply Ringnes violated competition law.
• Ullevaal Stadion / Norges FotballforbundcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRingnes provides technical services for national team matches at Ullevaal Stadion, including bar setup, draft line connections, and logistics for events with up to 35,000 attendees.
• Øyafestivalen, Slottsfjell, Pstereo, Kongsberg JazzfestivalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRingnes sponsors music festivals as part of their long-term sponsorship strategy focusing on music, food, and beer festivals. Provides product sponsorship to qualifying events.
• FRI (Foreningen for kjønns- og seksualitetsmangfold)minorOthersRingnes partners with FRI as part of their diversity and inclusion strategy. Also partner employer for Oslo Pride and participant in Oslo Pride Business Forum.
• Redningsselskapet (Norwegian Sea Rescue Society)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMunkholm brand collaborates with Redningsselskapet to promote safe maritime recreation during the summer boat season ('båtsommer').
• Infinitum (Norwegian Deposit System)coreOthersRingnes participates in Norway's world-leading deposit and return system for beverage packaging. The system achieves 92.8% collection rate for plastic bottles and high collection for aluminum cans. Ringnes also co-funded a plastics recycling facility in Norway (2021).
• Hold Norge Rent (Keep Norway Clean)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRingnes participates in environmental cleanup activities organized by Hold Norge Rent, including street cleanup operations in Oslo.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hansa Borg Bryggerier: Norway's second-largest brewery group, producing beer, soft drinks, and water for the Norwegian market through both proprietary and licensed international brands. Directly comparable to Ringnes as a multi-brand Norwegian beverage producer competing for the same grocery and on-trade customers.
• Mack's Ølbryggeri: Historic Tromsø-based brewery producing beer, soft drinks (Coca-Cola license), and water with strong Northern Norway distribution. Comparable to Ringnes as a regional Norwegian brewery with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage production and direct on-trade service.
• Aass Bryggeri: Drammen-based brewery established 1834, producing mainstream and premium beers for the Norwegian market. Comparable to Ringnes as a heritage Norwegian beer producer with both grocery and on-trade distribution, competing in overlapping categories.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Unibrew: Danic multi-beverage group operating across Northern Europe in beer, soft drinks, and energy drinks with a portfolio of licensed international brands. Comparable to Ringnes as a Nordic multi-category beverage producer with similar brand-licensing and on-trade distribution model.
• Heineken: Global brewer operating across Western Europe with both proprietary and licensed beer brands. Comparable to Ringnes as a multinational brewer whose licensed international brands (e.g., Kronenbourg 1664 distributed by Ringnes) overlap in the same Norwegian accounts.
• Anheuser-Busch InBev: World's largest brewer with global beer portfolio. Comparable as a global incumbent whose beer brands compete for the same Norwegian consumer occasions and on-trade listings that Ringnes services.

Emerging players

• Nøgne Ø: Norwegian craft brewery specializing in distinctive and experimental beers with strong export presence. Comparable to Ringnes as a Norwegian beer producer but competing primarily in the premium craft on-trade segment where margins are highest.
• Lervig Aktiebryggeri: Stavanger-based craft brewery producing premium and specialty beers for the Norwegian and international markets. Comparable to Ringnes' Norwegian brewery footprint while competing in the differentiated on-trade segment.

Others

• Coca-Cola Europacific Partners: Largest Coca-Cola bottler in Europe producing, distributing, and marketing soft drinks. Comparable to Ringnes as the licensed Norwegian bottler of Pepsi and other soft drink brands, competing for the same beverage occasions and retailer shelf space.
• PepsiCo: Global beverage and snacks company whose brands (Pepsi MAX, 7UP, Gatorade, Schweppes, Lipton) are bottled and distributed in Norway by Ringnes. Comparable as the brand owner whose licensed portfolio Ringnes produces and distributes across Norwegian grocery and on-trade.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ringnes-as
• Xx.com/Ringnes_AS

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Ringnes