THERE are not too many sectors right now in the Scottish or broader UK economy from which there is a steady flow of good news on tap. Things are distinctly miserable on the UK economic front, and the unnecessary referendum on membership of the European Union looks to be making the whole sorry situation even worse.

Surveys in recent days from the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply have shown the UK services, manufacturing and construction sectors last month all turned in their worst performances since 2013. There is no doubt these surveys are a cause for great concern, with the UK economy stuck in the grip of the Conservatives’ ill-judged austerity programme and ineffective policy-making.

In such grim times, it is always something of a relief to hear of the continuing rapid growth of Scottish craft brewing and distilling, and the individual tales of success behind this.

Small craft beer producers and distillers deserve credit for setting up shop and expanding against such a tough economic backdrop. There is a great variety of players with interesting stories to tell, and plenty of investment not just from the always high-profile BrewDog but also from the likes of WEST Brewery in Glasgow, Black Wolf Brewery near Stirling, and Edinburgh-based Daffy’s Gin.

While the economic backdrop is tough for everyone, craft brewers and distillers are certainly benefiting from a strong tailwind in terms of hard-pressed consumers’ seemingly fast-increasing appetite for something a bit different. And consumers, so often holding on tightly to the purse strings for good reason these days, have shown they are willing to pay premium prices for craft beer and spirits.

The Eden Mill craft brewing and distilling business has in recent days highlighted its aim of doubling annual turnover for a second year running, this time to £5 million, after winning regulatory approval to start selling its gin in the US. It is also launching a push for growth in China.

Consumer appetite for craft beer is meanwhile evident in a surge in Aberdeenshire-based BrewDog’s revenues from £29.6m in 2014 to £44.7m last year. BrewDog now employs about 580 people.

Highlighting his appetite for further growth last month, BrewDog co-founder James Watt declared: “We’re still less than 0.1 per cent of the UK beer market.”

Elsewhere in the sector, the successful Innis & Gunn revealed last month that it was securing a brewing site of its own through the acquisition of The Inveralmond Brewery.

Many smaller players in the Scottish craft beer sector are also firmly in expansion mode.

These smaller brewers face particular challenges, notably in terms of obtaining listings with major supermarket groups which are often having to rationalise their operations in some of the toughest trading conditions in the grocery sector in decades.

In this context, it was heartening indeed last month to see an innovative way of sealing supply deals when supermarket group Asda got together with The Craft Beer Clan of Scotland, part of wholesaler JW Filshill.

Thirteen Scottish craft beer producers struck new supply deals with Asda, with a combined value of more than £850,000 annually, providing the supermarket group with a total of 25 new product lines north of the Border.

Asda highlighted the fact it had “built a relationship” with The Craft Beer Clan to bring in beers from Deeside Brewery, Eden Mill, Jaw Brew, Knops, Lerwick Brewery, Stewart Brewing, Loch Lomond Brewery, Wooha Brewing Company and WEST Brewery. The supermarket group noted it had also worked with Isle of Arran, Isle of Skye, Loch Ness and Kelburn breweries in boosting its craft beer offering.

The Craft Beer Clan, unveiled in 2014, was established by Filshill with a focus on helping Scottish craft brewers export their beers to Far Eastern and other overseas markets. However, it looks to have plenty to offer in the UK market as well.

The consultancy firms behind the batch of supply deals between the Scottish craft breweries and Asda are now aiming to help line up similar contracts for other small producers, such as gin distillers.

This type of joint approach by small food and drink suppliers is viewed as crucial to making it easier for them to win product listings with the major supermarket groups.

Scott MacDonald, of Renfrew-based 121 Business Solutions, and retail specialists Simon Ross and Craig Brown approached The Craft Beer Clan after identifying the opportunity to line up Asda supply deals for smaller breweries using a joint approach.

Mr MacDonald noted this type of arrangement was “efficient for everyone” in terms of cost, time and physical resources.

Another challenge which some of the smaller craft brewers face is arranging the bottling of their products, with such arrangements often involving the beer having to travel very large distances.

In this regard, it was good to hear last month that Black Wolf Brewery, at Throsk near Stirling, is investing £200,000 in a new facility for bottling its own beers and those of other small and medium-sized players in the sector.

The next day, Arran Brewery announced an investment of more than £130,000 in a new bottling line. And Arran Brewery owner Gerald Michaluk emphasised it would have capacity to provide bottling for other independents.

The major investment in craft brewing and distillation in Scotland feels like it has a long way to run, amid favourable market trends. It is therefore to be hoped this sector will continue to provide plenty of cheer in what seem likely to remain generally gloomy macroeconomic conditions.