C&C Group Appoints ARK Agency to Lead Menabrea’s UK Brand Expansion

C&C Group plc, the leading UK drinks company, has appointed ARK Agency as lead creative and strategic agency for Menabrea, the premium Italian Alpine lager. ARK Agency has been appointed to support the next stage of expansion for the brand in the UK and marks incremental growth within C&C Group’s beer and cider portfolio.

Building on over 170-years of history, ARK will be charged with carving out a distinctive presence in the UK’s competitive premium lager category. In a market where drinkers are seeking lagers with substance, style, and a story, the need to stand out has never been greater, and the Menabrea brand comes stacked with opportunity. The first brand campaign is expected to launch in 2026.

Ben Turner, brand marketing director, Beer, C&C Group said, “Menabrea has huge potential to cut through in the premium lager category. The work we’ve done with ARK on Magners gave us front-row seats to the agency’s strategic clarity, creativity and momentum. When it came to Menabrea, it felt like a natural next step.”

​Mike Wilton, founder, ARK Agency, said, “Menabrea is a rare thing: rich in heritage, loaded with aspirational quality, and full of ambition. Ben and the wider C&C team understand the power of great creativity, and how it can propel this brilliant beer forwards.”

Mike added. “This is exactly the kind of opportunity we relish - a brand with substance, style, and a story that deserves to be told. There’s real potential to create work that doesn’t just compete, but elevates the entire category. We’re excited to get started.”

Menabrea is the second brand within the C&C Group portfolio to appoint ARK, following the Magners account earlier this year.