Teeling investment may secure future of Dundalk brewery

John Teeling

The future of the Harp Lager brewery in Dundalk could be secured by former Cooley Distillery boss John Teeling.

Teeling, who sold the peninsula-based whiskey business to Beam in 2011 for €73 million, is reported to be in advanced talks to take over part of the Great Northern Brewery from Diageo, who plan to close the facility in the coming years.

According to the Sunday Independent, Teeling plans to reinvent the facility as an own-label and bulk distillery, which would operate along the same lines as the old Cooley business.

The proposal would see the businessman invest millions in Dundalk to allow it to supply both former customers of Cooley Distillery, as well as help him launch a new Irish whiskey along with his sons Jack and Stephen. The family have previously said that their own label whiskey business would be Dublin-based but according to the Sunday Independent they will use Dundalk as a source of raw materials.

It is reported that the Teelings plan to invest €35 million in two locations, with John believed to have visited the Dundalk plant several times this year to discuss his plans.

The Sunday Independent says that he Teeling is refusing to comment on the reports, insisting “I really can’t talk.”

Diageo announced in 2008t that they would close the local brewery when a new, larger facility was completed at St James’s Gate in Dublin. Production has been scaling back ever since with the Harp expected to close sometime this year.

Source: Teeling in talks to set up distillery at Harp plant (Sunday Independent)