HEADLESS PLATFORM
CARLSBERG x AKQA

A centralised headless platform that replaced a fragmented multi-CMS landscape across the Carlsberg brand portfolio with a single, shared foundation. Eduardo defined the architecture — repurposing Umbraco as an API-first CMS, building a containerised Node.js middleware layer, and establishing the CI/CD and SDK framework that allowed local teams and external agencies to deploy independently. Now underpins sites for Carlsberg, Tuborg, Brooklyn, Grimbergen, Jacobsen, Holsten, Moussy, Home of Carlsberg, and more.

OVERVIEW _

Before this platform, Carlsberg's digital estate was built on a different stack per brand — no shared tooling, no consistent delivery standards, and no clear path to scaling. The platform brief was to fix that: one architecture, one CMS layer, one component framework — flexible enough that local markets and external agencies could build on it without needing a central handholding process.

Eduardo defined the architecture and led the proof of concept, working closely with backend engineers who handled the deeper Umbraco implementation, and frontend engineers contributing across the component layer. Umbraco was an unconventional choice at the time — the platform didn't yet have an official headless offering, and the roadmap was slow to evolve, which made a custom API-first approach the more pragmatic path. The solution repurposed Umbraco as a headless CMS exposing both preview and published endpoints for static and server-rendered frontends. A containerised Node.js middleware layer handles content aggregation and transformation, while webhook-driven CI/CD pipelines trigger automated builds on content publish. A versioned SDK delivers shared components, brand standards, and compliance features to teams building across the portfolio.

The platform was delivered and began rolling out to brand sites from 2021. It now serves as the foundation for over ten sites across the Carlsberg portfolio — including the Home of Carlsberg digital experience.

IMPACT _

Deployed across 10+ brands in the Carlsberg portfolio: Carlsberg, Brooklyn, Grimbergen, Tuborg, Jacobsen, Holsten, Moussy, Home of Carlsberg, 175th anniversary microsite, and others.

TECHNOLOGY _

Umbraco (headless CMS, API-first)
Node.js (middleware)
Gatsby / JavaScript
REST APIs
Azure Cloud

Netlify (front-end hosting)
Docker
CI/CD (webhooks)
Storybook (design system)
NPM (versioned SDK)

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