Joe Marler to Be the Face of New Chiswick-brewed Lager
Pride Lager to be produced at the Griffin Brewery
Joe Marler with the new Pride Lager. Picture: Asahi UK
April 30, 2026
Asahi UK has unveiled plans for a new British lager to be produced in Chiswick. The company has enlisted one of the country’s most recognisable rugby personalities, Joe Marler, to help launch it at the Griffin Brewery, where the company has been making beer since 1845.
The Harlequins and England prop, who has enjoyed a surge in mainstream fame following his deadpan, scene-stealing appearance on the BBC’s The Traitors, is becoming the face of both London Pride and the newly released Fuller’s Pride Lager.
The new lager, brewed entirely on-site at the Griffin Brewery, is Fuller’s first major lager launch in years. At 4.5% ABV and made with 100% British ingredients, Pride Lager is pitched as a modern, home-grown alternative for the UK’s 10,000 free-trade pubs. Asahi hopes it will appeal to drinkers who want a British-made lager that complements existing ranges without premium pricing.
All of Asahi UK’s local beer production – including London Pride, Meantime Prime Pale and Dark Star Hophead – is based at the Griffin Brewery, and the company has recently doubled down on its commitment to sustainable British brewing. Earlier this week, Asahi announced a new partnership with malt supplier Boortmalt to support regenerative agriculture on British barley farms, covering the equivalent of all the pale malt used at the Chiswick site. Pale malt makes up around 90% of the brewery’s annual malt use, totalling more than 3,000 tonnes in 2026.
The initiative will see participating farms adopt practices such as cover cropping, reduced tillage and lower fertiliser use, with the aim of cutting greenhouse gas emissions and improving soil health. It builds on Asahi’s wider work to support British hop growers and research into climate-resilient crops.
Against this backdrop, Marler will front the ‘Moments of Pride’ campaign throughout the summer, sharing stories and anecdotes with fans and pub-goers. Rob Hobart, Asahi UK’s marketing director, said the partnership reflects the brand’s long-standing connection with rugby at every level.
“Rugby is an integral part of the brand’s identity, and having Joe join the family reinforces our passion for the sport whilst demonstrating commitment to supporting the game’s grassroots community clubs, pubs and sporting venues, up to elite level,” he said. “There was simply no better ambassador to mark the launch of Pride Lager than national rugby icon and community hero Joe Marler.”
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