Rooster’s Brewing Co. is delighted to announce the appointment of Ian Galbraith as its new Sales Director. Joining from Kirkstall Brewery, where he has held a similar position for the past 5 years, Ian will also become Joint Managing Director along with Tom Fozard, Rooster’s Operations Director.
Commenting on the appointment, Ian Fozard, Rooster’s Chairman said: “We’re delighted that Ian is joining us – he has a strong track record in growing craft beer sales in what is a tough market. Ian’s appointment will enable me to step back from much of the day to day detail I have become involved in and I’m very much looking forward to working with him as we aim to grow the Rooster’s and Daleside brands utilising his experience and knowledge”.
Ian brings a wealth of experience to his new role at Rooster’s having previously worked as Head of Take Home sales at Black Sheep Brewery, prior to joining Kirkstall. Upon joining Rooster’s Ian said: “I’m really excited to be able to take up this position with the team at Rooster’s. They are true innovators in beer and have been a respected fixture on the beer scene for many years so, helping them develop and grow is a great opportunity.”
With a focus on Sales, Ian will work with Tom Fozard as Joint Managing Director in helping the business take the next step along as the brewery enters its 32nd year since being established in 1993. Tom Fozard said: “I’m looking forward to be working alongside Ian and I’m extremely pleased that we’ve been able to attract and appoint someone of his calibre. Not only does Ian bring a wealth of experience and a high level skillset that will help both Rooster’s and Daleside take strides forward, he also quickly passed the pint test, which is almost as important in this industry!”
Rooster’s Brewing Co. www.roosters.co.uk
For further information, please contact Tom Fozard on tom@roosters.co.uk or 01423 222312
Notes to Editors
About Rooster’s Brewing Company
Rooster’s Brewing Co. has always been an independent, family-run brewery, focussed on creating quality new world pale ales, with an emphasis on flavour and aroma. It was established in 1993 by the pioneering brewer Sean Franklin, who developed a new style of beer that had, up to that point, never been tried in the UK before. At a time when most breweries were taking flavour out, Sean was trying to put more in, using imported flavourful hops from the west coast of America.
His pioneering and innovative approach began to turn heads, with Rooster’s flavour-packed beers standing out in a sea of brown beer – with its flagship pale ale, Yankee, leading the way. The awards began to pour in, with Rooster’s beers winning gold medals at the biggest and most renowned international and national beer awards. Having won pretty much everything there was to win, in 2011 Sean decided to retire and chose to sell the brewery to Ian Fozard and his sons, Tom and Oliver, in a move that ensured Rooster’s would remain a family-owned brewery.
Ian has had an affinity with beer for over forty years, having been an active member of CAMRA since the 1970s and the founder of Market Town Taverns, which grew into a portfolio of 15 bars and pubs across Yorkshire. Oliver, who has been brewing professionally since 2000, became the head brewer at Rooster’s, and Tom, also an active brewer, became the company’s commercial director. Oliver was awarded Brewer of the Year in December 2020 by the British Guild of Beer Writers.
In 2018, it became clear that Rooster’s was rapidly outgrowing its site in Knaresborough and in 2019 the decision was made to invest in a new state-of-the-art brewery and taproom. Finding the right location, that offered Rooster’s the opportunity to become part of the fabric of the local community wasn’t easy, but the team were delighted when the perfect space became available at Hornbeam Park in Harrogate.
Over the course of 2019 and the early part of January 2020, the company created a bespoke, state-of-the-art facility that it now calls home, in a move that saw it return to the town where Rooster’s was first started some twenty-seven years earlier. In March 2024, after raising a substantial amount of new capital from a private investor, Rooster’s acquired Daleside Brewery, also based in Harrogate. The operation of the Daleside business transferred to Rooster’s site in Hornbeam Park, Harrogate in May 2024. However, the two businesses continue to trade separately within their respective markets with Daleside continuing to operate as a separate company.
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