AB InBev-owned Beer Hawk launches chilled distribution

Online retailer Beer Hawk has launched a service that delivers cold-chain beer in kegs, cans and bottles to the on- and off-trade.

Andrew Morgan, Head of Beer Hawk FRESH.

Operating from a refrigerated warehouse in Central London, the new service, called Beer Hawk Fresh, delivers cold-chain beer in kegs, cans and bottles, same-day to London retailers, bars and restaurants.

Beer Hawk has been owned by AB InBev since 2016, which in was bought by the brewer’s startup incubator, ZX Ventures.

It currently provides the cold-chain service for brewers such as Magic Rock, Fourpure, Little Creatures, Alpine, Camden Brewery, and Goose Island.

Andrew Morgan, head of Beer Hawk Fresh, said he hopes the new service will “change the way businesses can expect a craft beer distributor to behave.

“For retailers, all our beer is stored cold for maximum commercial quality, and we’ll offer next-day delivery across the UK with no minimum order quantity.”

Breweries working with Beer Hawk Fresh, Morgan said, will also gain access to Beer Hawk’s sales support and distribution network, “while still maintaining their independence.”

“With Beer Hawk FRESH part of ZX Ventures, the global growth incubator of AB InBev, breweries will benefit from the significant scale this provides in the UK craft scene.”

Beer Hawk will agree annual volume targets and offer collaborative forecasting for beer brands that use the service, it said, as well as offering seven-day credit terms.