The St Austell Brewery team celebrate scooping the business of the year award. Left to right are Chris Knight, Vicky Crossingham, Jeremy Mitchell, Jackie Scarf, James Staughton and Adam Luck
St Austell Brewery has been named South West business of the year following a hugely successful 12 months that has seen turnover and production increase, and a raft of awards.
The annual Western Morning News (WMN) Business Awards, sponsored by Great Western Railway, recognise large and small businesses throughout the region, covering all aspects of enterprise from manufacturers and exporters to green businesses, start-ups and apprenticeships.
The judging panel praised the brewery for its innovation, quality assurance and investment in its people over the year. The acquisition of Bath Ales this year and the success of its new Small Batch Brewery were highlighted as areas where the company has successfully expanded, bringing new products to new markets and new audiences.
St Austell has scooped a series of awards in 2016, including Korev winning best lager at the World Beer Awards, and has increased sales to 118,000 million barrels, with turnover up by £12 million over the last 12 months.
Chief executive, James Staughton, said: “We are delighted to have been presented with the Western Morning News business of the year award, which is a big one! The award is for the whole company and without the support of everyone involved in our constantly expanding and complex operations we wouldn’t be the success that we are today and receiving this significant prize for the South West business community.”
Marketing and commuications director, Jeremy Mitchell, added: “The South West is home to a great and diverse range of innovative and successful businesses, evidenced by the quality of all of those shortlisted at this year’s Western Morning News awards. To win this great accolade against such worthy competition makes us very proud and we are glad to be contributors to the strong and vibrant business community that surrounds us in the West Country.”
