healthy
market share
growth for the
past decade...
New era
JUNE 2004
1,300 pounds, rebuilt it as a brewery at the cost of 2,500 pounds
and named it Murphy Brewery. In 1856 the brothers started
brewing porter and ale and by 1889 they were marketing their
stout under their family name. Over the decades that followed
Murphy Stout expanded to become a rock-solid brand in county
Cork and the brewery developed into a household name within
the Cork community.
However, by the 1970s it was apparent that the brewery was
facing ever-mounting problems. So there was a big sense of relief
amongst the people in Cork when Heineken decided in 1983 to
acquire a 100% interest in the brewery. By that time Heineken
was familiar with the Murphy's operation, as the Cork-based
brewery had been brewing Heineken Beer under licence for the
Irish market since 1977.
The arrival of Heineken signalled a new era for Murphy Brewery.
In the first two years after the acquisition Heineken invested
12.7 million in the construction of a new brew house and
keg-filling line. Substantial investments were also made in
marketing activities. Heineken realised that the black beer was
more than just a regional beer and so the Murphy brand was
