An award-winning South Wales brewer is celebrating a record sales year amidst reports pub beer sales are in decline.
The Hurns Brewing Company, which earlier this month was named best regional producer in South West Wales in the True Taste Wales Food and Drink Awards 2007/08, has seen its biggest ever growth with total sales up an unprecedented 137%.
The Swansea based family-owned company produces a range of beers under the Tomos Watkin brand, and has 20 pubs across South West Wales, including The Robin Hood and Clarence in Swansea, Kings Arms in Haverfordwest and PS Bar in Bridgend.
“We have exceeded all our expectations, and at times over the summer we almost ran out of beer such was the demand,” said Connie Parry, who co-owns Hurns with her brother Philip.
“While there have been reports of beer sales in UK pubs falling, our cask ale sales have been constant, indeed our sales overall over the past year have gone through the roof, so we certainly seem to be bucking the trend.”
Currently there are five varieties of bottled beers in the Tomos Watkin range as well as the increasingly popular Taffy Apples Cider and several seasonal varieties of cask ale, such as, Cwrw Haf, Cwrw Santa and Dewi Sant.
“I think the reason is our customers appreciate a high end, quality product, and are happy to drink our beer not just in pubs but at home too,” added Connie, whose great grandfather founded the business.
Hurns has enjoyed a great deal of brewing success, in October the brewery’s Magic Lagyr (lager) came out as the Tesco 2008 Wales regional winner in a blind tasting of new Welsh bottled beers. There are also two previous True Taste awards for its bottled beers and numerous CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) awards for its cask conditioned ales.
Also, following a deal with America distributor, St Killian, Hurns’ beer will shortly go on sale in all 50 states in the USA - believed to be the first Welsh brewer to achieve such widespread distribution in North America at its debut.
“We have had a fantastic year and winning the True Taste award was the icing on the cake. A lot of hard work has gone into making 2007 such a success, and along the way we have had tremendous support from the Welsh Assembly Government.”
Hurns began at the turn of the 19th century by manufacturing lemonade, ginger beer, soda water and fruit cordials. Their original pop-alley bottles and stoneware bottles are on display in Swansea museum.
The brother and sister team saved Tomos Watkin brewery in 2002, and Hurns now employs 106 people throughout the company.
