Murphy’s, the classic Irish stout, saw record sales this Christmas, as UK drinkers continue to develop a taste for stout.
December saw overwhelming demand for Murphy’s, with pints up an incredible 632% [1] in UK pubs and bars, compared to the same period in 2023.
However, Christmas wasn’t the only period that saw a rise in demand for pints of Murphy’s – the brand saw a significant increase across the whole of 2024, resulting in a total uplift of 176% in draught sales for 2024.
Amid reports that pubs were running out of the ‘black stuff’ ahead of the festive period, Murphy’s brewer, HEINEKEN UK, took to the streets of London to hand deliver kegs of Murphy’s to four lucky pubs in time for Christmas Eve in a PR rollout titled ‘Good Things Come To Those Who Are Waiting’.
With stocking issues of Guinness ongoing into the new year, HEINEKEN UK has released an exclusive ‘Map O’Murphy’s’, to promote all of the places consumers can get their stout fix across the UK.
A spokesperson for Murphy’s UK said: “The recent growth in the popularity of stout has been well documented and these incredible figures show the value of brands like Murphy’s Irish Stout with its smooth creamy taste.
“Murphy’s is well placed to build on this growth in 2025, delivering excitement for UK consumers and sales for UK operators. Any licensees interesting in stocking Murphy’s should speak to their account manager or visit https://join.heineken.co.uk/
The sales uplift for the Irish stout has been significant throughout 2024. In fact, year-on-year sales of Murphy’s increased by 281% [2] in the on-trade in June 2024 vs June the previous year, showing marked demand from consumers in warmer months. Clearly Murphy’s is not just for Christmas!