Bristol Beer Factory’s growing success has attracted high-profile local investors to the city’s leading independent brewery.
The Newell and Eggleton families, both key industry influencers, have invested to help deliver new plans for the brewery, joining original co-joint founders, Simon Bartlett and George Ferguson, and the other current directors, Sam Burrows and Natasha Miller.
A BBC Food and Farming Award winner, Bristol Beer Factory has been operating for more than 14 years, with six beers in the current core portfolio and a variety of guest beers, with more specials coming over the coming weeks. The investment will help to develop the brewery, focusing on quality, innovation, production expansion and distribution.
Guy and Becky Newell, with Josh and the Eggleton family, come in at an exciting time for the brewery. Built on an enviable national award-winning core range, including Independence, Milk Stout and Southville Hop, the firm has also recently launched the Brewery Taproom, on North Street, Bristol, The Beer Club and a new 4% ABV session ale, Fortitude. With its first cider venture launching in the autumn, it is a busy year.
Investment
Managing director, Simon Bartlett, said: “We have reached a crucial stage in our development of needing investment to reach our full potential, and chose to reach out to potential investors with the right experience to help the business grow without losing our focus on quality, service and innovation.
“Both George Ferguson and I have had great respect for Guy and Josh for many years, and to have them as part of our forward-thinking creative team is better than we could have hoped for.”
Guy and Becky led the acquisition of Butcombe Brewery back in 2003, and prior to that were the leaders of national wholesaler, The Beer Seller. They bring a huge wealth of experience to Bristol Beer Factory.
They said: “Bristol is a city that loves a Taste of Independence. With Butcombe and Bath Ales, previously the city’s two main independent breweries, having been taken over by the Liberation Group and St Austell respectively, it is left to Bristol Beer Factory to fly the independent flag. It is a very exciting time for the city of Bristol, and indeed for Bristol Beer Factory… We are thrilled to be involved.”
Chef Josh Eggleton said: “Bristol Beer Factory was a great fit for me and my business portfolio. Fiercely independent, rooted in Bristol but with ambitious plans, the people involved are down to earth but hugely experienced. We are looking forward to working together to expand and grow this already amazing business.”
