It takes Brain’s to be has-beans, not has-beens!
By: JimOldfield
May 27th, 2012
Wales’ biggest independent brewer is turning to COFFEE – after posting a 6.2 per cent rise in profits to £4.5m for the trading year to September 2011!
Brain’s – famous for the slogan “It’s Brain’s you need” will open 30 coffee shops over three years, to put a total of 50 into South Wales, after buying the Coffee #1 chain last year.
The company’s strategy is to diversify from its traditional ale business. Cardiff-based SA Brain bought the chain last year.
The company’s latest report said that trading in the current financial year to date had been “satisfactory” and was “broadly on plan”, despite the tough economic climate.
The family-run brewery employs some 2,000 people and operates more than 270 pubs, bars and hotels across Wales and the west of England.
Turnover last year year increased 14 per cent, to £113.6m, while cask ale volumes and like-for-like sale across all of its various estates rose between two and five per cent.
But because of the Government’s draconian beer taxes – Brain’s handed over some £46m of their total turnover of £113m – it’s coffee the brewers have an eye on next.
The brewer believes the coffee culture so ingrained in the USA has now taken firm hold in the UK and expects further growth of up to seven per cent over the next few years.
Faced with pressure from the Chancellor, combined with cheap beer thrown out by supermarket chains, Brain’s is thus looking to coffee to underpin its brewing success and make sure it’s future is has-beans, not has-beens!
