When Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney went public with their decision to acquire Wrexham AFC, many were left wondering about how the next chapter in the Footbal Club’s journey would unfold. 4 years later, the actors have kicked on a new chapter.
Wrexham is officially back on the map, having caught the world’s eye with Welcome to Wrexham, and having also made it to the third division since the acquisition. To take its growth story to the next step, the actors took one bold call – selling a minority stake in the club and acquiring another giant in the region – a brewery that has been around for almost 140 years.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney went ahead with the acquisition of Wrexham Lager for ushering in the next chapter in Wrexham’s journey
When Wrexham AFC welcomed its new owners, it still remained to be seen how the Welsh club would make its way to the top flight. Though it is still a long way off from where its owners would want it to be, it has managed to reach Football League One, where they are currently ranked third. This is an achievement that many fans of the club couldn’t have anticipated before the acquisition came to pass.
This isn’t the ceiling though. The demand of the English footballing hierarchy will surely make it difficult for Wrexham to march to the top with ease. What is needed are more investments, bringing in more star power across the board. And Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney deem that diversification of their holdings might be the best way around to get that done.
The first step in this journey was selling a stake in the club to the Allyn family, a wealthy family based in upstate New York and making them a part of the story. The owners released a joint statement saying,
“Wrexham has earned the world’s attention and we are focused on bringing on board world-class partners to help with the next phase of our growth. We have been fortunate to get to know the Allyn family and we are blown away by their intelligence, kindness and commitment. They are exactly the type of partners we will need for this amazing endeavor.” (The Hollywood Reporter)
Their partnership doesn’t end there though. The Family is all set to be involved in the acquisition of Wrexham Lager Beer Co., the plan at the center of their first step towards diversification.
Red Dragon Ventures seeks to kick-start a new chapter in Wrexham’s journey
Speaking about the acquisition of Wrexham Lager Beer Co., the owners 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.”
What makes this acquisition interesting is the story behind the brewery itself, a story which has the potential to intrigue the world. The oldest running brewery in the UK, it was established in the year 1882 by German immigrants in the city of Wrexham. Soon after its establishment, the beer would make its mark internationally, being exported around the world.
However, it wouldn’t be smooth sailing always. The Beer Co. encountered its fair share of problems The company would first be taken over by Ind Coope, and later by Carlsberg-Tetley. The latter would eventually close the brewery down in 2000.
It was in 2011 that the brewery would be revived by the Roberts Family. And more than a decade down the line, the brewery can look towards better times, as Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, along with the Allyn Family, are all set to stake a claim in it.
This investment is one of the first in a long line of ventures that will push to broaden Wrexham’s horizon. And these investments will be heralded through a joint venture named Red Dragon Ventures between the owners of AFC Wrexham and the Allyn Family. The JV will serve as the ideal tool for investing not only in the football club, but also in the numerous initiatives that make Wrexham a special place.
For their first venture, they seem to have hit the jackpot, with a brewery whose history is deeply ingrained in the history of Wrexham itself. And in all honesty, it is a story that would attract the world’s attention.
