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How St Austell has found success
St Austell Brewery has reported record-breaking turnover and its first significant rebrand in 70 years. db finds out more. The post How St Austell has found success appeared first on The Drinks Business.
St Austell Brewery has reported record-breaking turnover and its first significant rebrand in 70 years. db finds out more.
The South West’s leading independent family-owned brewer, hospitality and drinks wholesale company, has shown a strong financial performance with a further year of and underlying EBITDA growth of 8.7% in the 52-week period to 28 December 2024. But how has it managed to evolve amid myriad challenges facing the sector?
Speaking to the drinks business, St Austell marketing and communications director Laura McKay said: "We've been working on this brand project for three years. It's been grounded by insight from both inside and outside of the business. The refreshed platform elevates our identity and better reflects who we are today and underpins our ambitions for the future.”
The company’s strong trading performance - and increased turnover of £231m - converted into an 8.7% increase in EBITDA to £22.4m has reflected the positive momentum St Austell Brewery generated in 2024 despite the continued economic headwinds.
St Austell chairman Gerard Barnes explained how it has not been an easy feat and pointed out that “while inflation has eased, a combination of fragile consumer confidence, higher taxation, the lowest number of visitors to the South West in a decade, and a second summer of disappointing weather, conspired to provide a challenging backdrop in 2024”.
However, Barnes noted how “the financial results represent continued momentum and positive progress” alongside St Austell’s “strategic plans” because while the business continues “to navigate the many challenges and evolving customer demands” he admitted that it was the company’s “ambitious capital investment programme” that had remained “key to our long-term success”.
Last year, St Austell Brewery invested £18.3m in capital expenditure across all areas of the business.
Plus, St Austell Brewery’s managed houses have also delivered strong sales growth, significantly outperforming the market with like-for-like growth of 13%.
In the beer business, there was continued investment in the company’s brewing capability and its brands. For instance, 2024 saw the launch of Proper Job 0.5% - a strategic move into the no and low category as the company eyed developing beer trends and joined the chorus.
Also, following the investment into Harbour Brewing Company in 2022, the performance of its lead brand, Arctic Sky, has continued to deliver strong growth (up 78%) on the previous year.
One of its boldest moves yet has been how, in parallel to announcing its annual results, the 174-year-old company unveiled its first major rebrand in more than 70 years.
McKay told db: “Whilst everyone is very proud of our rich history, being a brand with heritage isn’t enough. To continue delivering for all of our stakeholders, and in recognising the fast and dynamic world in which we operate today, and in the future, we must continue to positively evolve.”
McKay explained: "We have undertaken this journey whilst always respecting and taking great pride in our rich history, and where we stand today, but also embracing a shared commitment to our ambitions for the future and the generations to come. Our striking new visual identity draws inspiration from our heartland and our heritage. The iconic castle has been positively evolved, and we’ve changed the black and gold into a more modern palette of deep blue – inspired by the coastline - and warm copper.”
McKay highlighted how “the castle symbol (which first appeared as part of our founder Walter Hicks’ family coat of arms) is our enduring emblem” and reiterated how “the castle has been part of the St Austell Brewery branding in some form since the 1950s.”
Now, “in the new evolved identity, the castle remains at the heart of the brand; it has been reworked in a more contemporary way and reproduced in copper – a colour inspired by our natural surroundings and the brewing process,” she told db.
Speaking about the company’s success, St Austell Brewery chief executive Kevin Georgel admitted: “The results are all the more meaningful given the challenging trading environment. Despite the sustained economic headwinds, and wider market challenges, the commitment and passion of our people, and the resilience of the company, have enabled us to deliver continued growth in both revenue and profits.”
Georgel remarked upon how “whilst the outcome of the autumn budget has created significant additional cost pressures - necessitating some difficult, but necessary decisions to review and reduce our operational structure - we remain resolutely focused on delivering our long-term strategy and sustainable growth”.
He revealed: “Our recent rebrand signals our intent to future-proof the company. The evolution of our brand isn’t just about a new identity, it’s about clarifying and refining our purpose, positively evolving our values, launching our new sustainability plan, and aligning everything we do with the world we want to help shape.”
It is decision that he has said that the business has not taken lightly and stated that it has been “guided by extensive research and insight from both inside and outside of the business” because he and his team are “committed to ensuring that we are fit for the future”.
With this in mind, he called the rebrand “a natural and considered step forward” and pointed out how essentially it “underpins our ambitions for the future and the generations to come”.
But what is the secret to success? Especially while brewery and pub businesses are facing so many challenges right now, McKay revealed: “Alongside the investment into the St Austell Brewery brand, we're continuing to invest across the business - in our pubs, brands and our people.”
Are there any beers of note that have helped St Austell reach new heights? According to McKay, there are trends the brewery has flagged.
She observed: “On the brewing side, our Proper Job brand refresh last year has worked well, and Proper Job 0.5% is a significant growth opportunity for us."
Are there any more plans in the pipeline for St Austell?
Georgel stated that “next year we celebrate 175 years of St Austell Brewery. Drawing on our rich heritage, through the evolved brand story, we’re proud to unveil a clearer, more confident vision for the future. This is more than a new visual identity. It represents a thoughtful, holistic evolution of our brand - designed to reinforce our position in the market and support the next phase of our growth. More importantly, it’s a statement of intent and demonstrates our commitment to our people, our guests, and the great experiences we deliver”.
The South West’s leading independent family-owned brewer, hospitality and drinks wholesale company, has shown a strong financial performance with a further year of and underlying EBITDA growth of 8.7% in the 52-week period to 28 December 2024. But how has it managed to evolve amid myriad challenges facing the sector?
Speaking to the drinks business, St Austell marketing and communications director Laura McKay said: "We've been working on this brand project for three years. It's been grounded by insight from both inside and outside of the business. The refreshed platform elevates our identity and better reflects who we are today and underpins our ambitions for the future.”
The company’s strong trading performance - and increased turnover of £231m - converted into an 8.7% increase in EBITDA to £22.4m has reflected the positive momentum St Austell Brewery generated in 2024 despite the continued economic headwinds.
St Austell chairman Gerard Barnes explained how it has not been an easy feat and pointed out that “while inflation has eased, a combination of fragile consumer confidence, higher taxation, the lowest number of visitors to the South West in a decade, and a second summer of disappointing weather, conspired to provide a challenging backdrop in 2024”.
However, Barnes noted how “the financial results represent continued momentum and positive progress” alongside St Austell’s “strategic plans” because while the business continues “to navigate the many challenges and evolving customer demands” he admitted that it was the company’s “ambitious capital investment programme” that had remained “key to our long-term success”.
Last year, St Austell Brewery invested £18.3m in capital expenditure across all areas of the business.
Plus, St Austell Brewery’s managed houses have also delivered strong sales growth, significantly outperforming the market with like-for-like growth of 13%.
In the beer business, there was continued investment in the company’s brewing capability and its brands. For instance, 2024 saw the launch of Proper Job 0.5% - a strategic move into the no and low category as the company eyed developing beer trends and joined the chorus.
Also, following the investment into Harbour Brewing Company in 2022, the performance of its lead brand, Arctic Sky, has continued to deliver strong growth (up 78%) on the previous year.
One of its boldest moves yet has been how, in parallel to announcing its annual results, the 174-year-old company unveiled its first major rebrand in more than 70 years.
McKay told db: “Whilst everyone is very proud of our rich history, being a brand with heritage isn’t enough. To continue delivering for all of our stakeholders, and in recognising the fast and dynamic world in which we operate today, and in the future, we must continue to positively evolve.”
McKay explained: "We have undertaken this journey whilst always respecting and taking great pride in our rich history, and where we stand today, but also embracing a shared commitment to our ambitions for the future and the generations to come. Our striking new visual identity draws inspiration from our heartland and our heritage. The iconic castle has been positively evolved, and we’ve changed the black and gold into a more modern palette of deep blue – inspired by the coastline - and warm copper.”
McKay highlighted how “the castle symbol (which first appeared as part of our founder Walter Hicks’ family coat of arms) is our enduring emblem” and reiterated how “the castle has been part of the St Austell Brewery branding in some form since the 1950s.”
Now, “in the new evolved identity, the castle remains at the heart of the brand; it has been reworked in a more contemporary way and reproduced in copper – a colour inspired by our natural surroundings and the brewing process,” she told db.
Speaking about the company’s success, St Austell Brewery chief executive Kevin Georgel admitted: “The results are all the more meaningful given the challenging trading environment. Despite the sustained economic headwinds, and wider market challenges, the commitment and passion of our people, and the resilience of the company, have enabled us to deliver continued growth in both revenue and profits.”
Georgel remarked upon how “whilst the outcome of the autumn budget has created significant additional cost pressures - necessitating some difficult, but necessary decisions to review and reduce our operational structure - we remain resolutely focused on delivering our long-term strategy and sustainable growth”.
He revealed: “Our recent rebrand signals our intent to future-proof the company. The evolution of our brand isn’t just about a new identity, it’s about clarifying and refining our purpose, positively evolving our values, launching our new sustainability plan, and aligning everything we do with the world we want to help shape.”
It is decision that he has said that the business has not taken lightly and stated that it has been “guided by extensive research and insight from both inside and outside of the business” because he and his team are “committed to ensuring that we are fit for the future”.
With this in mind, he called the rebrand “a natural and considered step forward” and pointed out how essentially it “underpins our ambitions for the future and the generations to come”.
But what is the secret to success? Especially while brewery and pub businesses are facing so many challenges right now, McKay revealed: “Alongside the investment into the St Austell Brewery brand, we're continuing to invest across the business - in our pubs, brands and our people.”
Are there any beers of note that have helped St Austell reach new heights? According to McKay, there are trends the brewery has flagged.
She observed: “On the brewing side, our Proper Job brand refresh last year has worked well, and Proper Job 0.5% is a significant growth opportunity for us."
Are there any more plans in the pipeline for St Austell?
Georgel stated that “next year we celebrate 175 years of St Austell Brewery. Drawing on our rich heritage, through the evolved brand story, we’re proud to unveil a clearer, more confident vision for the future. This is more than a new visual identity. It represents a thoughtful, holistic evolution of our brand - designed to reinforce our position in the market and support the next phase of our growth. More importantly, it’s a statement of intent and demonstrates our commitment to our people, our guests, and the great experiences we deliver”. 
