GLASGOW’S giant Wellpark Brewery, home of Tennent’s Lager, may be used by companies in mainland Europe to make
their products for the UK market after Brexit.
Stephen Glancey, chief
executive of owner C&C Group, said the firm had received inquiries from European businesses asking whether they could make drinks for them in the UK.
The talks were confirmed as C&C reported a four per cent rise in operating profit to
€58.4 million for the six months ended August 31, with revenue from Tennent’s Lager rising 7%.
Mr Glancey described the discussions as “reasonably
meaningful” to Reuters. He told the news agency that the brewer was “reasonably confident that we’ll pick up some volumes over the next two or three years at Wellpark”. Based in the east end of Glasgow, Wellpark already carries out brewing and bottling contracts for third parties, including beer brands Innis & Gunn and Stella Artois.
A spokesman for C&C confirmed carrying out such services for European firms after Brexit was an option for the company, but said no deals were imminent.
C&C will continue to have a manufacturing site in the EU after Brexit thanks its cider plant in Clonmel, Ireland, where it makes cider brand Magners (sold under the Bulmers brand in the Irish Republic). “Looking forward there is much economic and
political uncertainty and of course Brexit,” Mr Glancey said. “We have plans in place to manage the various scenarios on Brexit that may emerge and do not anticipate material customer or financial disruption.”
C&C noted that its Tennent’s brand had traded well since the introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing in Scotland in May.
Tennent’s volumes grew by 0.1% in the off-trade over the period, which the company said had been ahead of the market. While it said volumes were flat in the on-trade, C&C noted it had grown “customers, share and value” in the independent free trade.
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