Black Sheep to put new beers on market to broaden appeal

The brewer, based in Masham, North Yorkshire, said turnover dropped by one per cent to £18.35m in the year to March 31, 2011, while pre-tax profits dipped from £613,756 to £464,878.

However, managing director Rob Theakston said Black Sheep had started to introduce a range of seasonal and one-off beers as well as bespoke beers for major supermarkets including Sainsbury’s to attract new customers and broaden its appeal.

The company is also trialling Black Sheep in a can in Tesco stores to appeal to new customers. “It offers people opportunities to drink Black Sheep in different scenarios, such as outdoors and parties,” Mr Theakston said.

He told the Yorkshire Post that he was looking to push exports in North America, Canada and Scandinavia over the next year. The company already exports all over the world but in small quantities.

“The domestic market is tough so export is an exciting possibility moving forward,” he said.

The company has also acquired the former Danby Foods factory on the outskirts of Masham which it will initially use as a base for its distribution, telesales and technical services operations, moving them from its rented premises in the nearby village of Well.

Tony Robinson has stepped down as chairman but remains a non-executive director

Writing in the company’s annual directors’ report, Mr Theakston and his father, Paul, who is now chairman, said during the financial year the brewery had followed a “steady as she goes policy in these difficult times”, but added that both the cask and bottled ales markets were “depressed”. The company is experiencing increasing competition from a growing number of micro-breweries as well as the effects of rising beer duty and a declining pub trade.

Mr Theakston said: “It’s incredibly tough still but we still think there is a market for us to grow.”