- 2013 turnover up 15% YOY breaking £10m barrier
- All markets showing strong growth, with UK sales reaching 29% of overall volume sales for the first time since 2004.
- Major ongoing Investment in second-generation Oakerators, green initiatives and manpower
Edinburgh, Scotland (18th September 2014): On the day Scotland decides its future as part of the United Kingdom, one of the nation’s leading independent brewers, Innis & Gunn, has filed annual accounts for 2013 showing total sales breaking through the £10m barrier for the first time.
Turnover to end December 2013 was up 15% YOY to £10.5m, a more moderate increase on 2012 (23%) as a result of movements in foreign exchange.
Over the twelve-month period, Innis & Gunn moved its entire canning and bottling operation to one site and introduced innovative lower-weight 660ml and 330ml bottles – both measures helping the company to reduce its CO2emissions by 2,000metric tons over three years. The brewer also financed the six-figure design and development of second-generation Oakerators® – the high-tech vessels that are used to mature its beers – which were put into production in December 2013.
Founder and CEO at Innis & Gunn, Dougal Sharp, said: “The Oakerators® were ground-breaking when they were first built in 2010. They augment the barrel aging we do, and enable us to be a lot more scientific in our brewing process to extract the very best flavour from the oak with far greater certainty that every drop produced would taste the same, something we could never fully achieve through barrel ageing.”
International sales at Innis & Gunn continued to perform strongly with existing markets meeting business forecasts, yet exceptional growth in the UK on and off trade reduced the company’s overall export dominance to 71% from 78% in 2012. The introduction of Lager and Toasted Oak IPA to the brand’s core stable of beers contributed to Innis & Gunn’s success. The brewer’s flagship beer, Original, is now the best-selling bottled ale by value in the Scottish off-trade (source: IRI, Scottish Premium Bottled Ales, value MAT to May 2014).
The news follows the announcement last week that the brewer has signed an exclusive three-year agreement with Thatchers Cider to assume all marketing and promotional support for Thatchers Gold in the USA. As part of the contract, Innis & Gunn’s team in the USA will immediately double in size, bringing the global headcount at the Edinburgh-based brewer to 45.
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Media Enquiries: Steph Middleton, 07515 738605 / steph.middleton@innisandgunn.com