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5th January 2017

Hackney Brewery boosts brewing capacity 20% ahead of new beer launch

A brewery in Hackney is set to boost the amount of beer it can produce after investing in new equipment with support from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking.

 

Hackney Brewery, which was founded just five years ago, now plans to launch a brand new beer in the coming weeks – to be called ‘Kapow!’ – and accelerate its growth strategy in 2017.

 

New fermenting vessels and a new chiller, entering service this month, will be more efficient and able to produce a maximum of 240 beer casks or 60 brewers barrels each week, scaling up the brewing capacity of the business by 20%.

 

The new equipment will improve control of the brewing process and allow even higher quality beers. The firm, which has led the trend for cask ale micro-breweries in Hackney, agreed a £57,000 asset finance facility from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking after customer demand outgrew the previous production capacity.

 

Headcount at Hackney Brewery has also grown recently, to eight full time staff, with turnover approaching half a million pounds, since starting with just two cofounders, Pete Hills and Jon Swain, in the summer of 2011.

 

Operating from a site under the railway arches of the London Overground in the heart of the borough, the business has also recently expanded into a second neighbouring railway arch – previously used for events and tastings, and now also housing the new equipment.

 

In addition to the new asset finance facility, Hackney Brewery has moved its business banking accounts to Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking.

 

Pete Hills, co-founder of Hackney Brewery, explains the latest move: “Competing on quality and authenticity has always been our plan – concentrating on producing distinctive tastes with local and ethical ingredients. State of the art equipment will power that mission to a new level, allowing better control of every step of the process.

 

“As we’ve steadily expanded our range of different beers, brewing capacity has always been the only factor limiting the array of recipes and experimentation we can offer. Investing in new technology and capacity will let us reach more customers with an even greater range of flavours. Asset finance has been instrumental for those plans.

 

“When we were introduced to Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, we got a really positive response. The team has focused on matching the most appropriate form of finance with our ambitions for Hackney Brewery over the next five years.”

 

Amey Green, hire purchase and leasing sales executive for Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, adds: “Pete and Jon have had some great success with Hackney Brewery already, and have exciting plans for the business’ future.

“By using asset finance to buy this new equipment, they are investing in growth without affecting their access to working capital or their day-to-day cashflow.

 

“Lloyds Bank is committed to supporting small businesses like Hackney Brewery by increasing net lending to SMEs by more than £1 billion during 2016, building on six years of consistent lending growth.”

 

 

 

 

 

Adam Kirby

Senior Account Manager

Citypress

 

T: +44 (0) 203 773 9544