Wrexham Lager Beer Co has announced that Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have joined as new co-owners of the company.
This new partnership comes four years after Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney purchased Wrexham AFC, the Welsh town’s struggling football club, and documented its revival in a successful TV series.
Founded in 1882, Wrexham Lager is the oldest lager brewery still operating in Great Britain. It supplies its products across multiple channels, including the on-trade, and is known for its longstanding heritage in the Welsh brewing industry.
The partnership with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney is anticipated to significantly scale Wrexham Lager's infrastructure, expanding its production, distribution, and marketing efforts both domestically and internationally.
Red Dragon Ventures, a joint venture established by the RR McReynolds Company—majority owner of Wrexham AFC—and the Allyn family of Skaneateles, New York, made the acquisition of Wrexham Lager Beer Co. This new venture was created with the mission of fostering growth within the Wrexham community and supporting the development of Wrexham AFC.
The Roberts family, who have owned and operated Wrexham Lager since 2011, will retain an active role in the business. They will continue to manage quality control across all markets, oversee local brewery operations, and support community engagement projects, ensuring the brewery's traditions and standards are upheld as it expands under the new ownership.
McElhenney and Reynolds said: “As co-chairmen of Wrexham AFC we have learned a lot. The connection between club and community, the intricacies of the offsides rule and the occasional need for beer – especially after finance meetings. Wrexham Lager has a 140-year-old recipe and a storied history, and we’re excited to help write its next chapter.”
James Wright, recently appointed as chief executive of Wrexham Lager, will continue to lead the brewery, building on the company’s rapid growth within the UK and its international expansion into markets like Australia, Japan, and Scandinavia.
Wrexham Lager is set to launch distribution in the US and Canada in the coming months.
“This is a brand with great heritage – the oldest lager brewery in Great Britain, once enjoyed across the world,” said Wright.
“So, to have Rob and Ryan onboard as we embark on international expansion is huge for us. They have been doing wonders for the town of Wrexham and strongly share our passion for once again seeing Wrexham Lager enjoyed in all the far-flung corners of the globe.”
The brand currently produces the 4% ABV Wrexham Lager, a stronger 5% ABV Wrexham Lager Export, and a recently introduced 4.6% ABV Pilsener.
