Premium ales boost business at Marston’s

A FOCUS on premium ales has contributed to a steady rise in sales and profits at Wolverhampton-based brewery and pub operator Marston’s.

In an interim management statement for the 42 weeks to July 23, 2011, Marston’s said its ‘Beer Company’ division had seen own-brewed beer volumes increase year-on-year by 2%, outperforming a declining market.

A focus on localness and premium ales had contributed to this growth with premium cask ale up 4%, it reported.

In Marston’s Inns and Taverns, its managed pubs division, like-for-like sales were up 2.9% on 2010 with food sales increasing by 5% and wet sales up 1.8%.

Like-for-like sales in the last 10 weeks were up 2% against strong trading over the same period last year, which included the World Cup, it said.

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In Marston’s Pub Company, the tenanted and leased pubs division, like-for-like profits are up slightly by 0.5%.

Marston’s employs more than 12,000 across an estate of around 2,150 pubs and its brands include Pedigree, Banks’s and Wychwood.

Chief executive Ralph Findlay added: “We are encouraged by the resilience of our business in the year to date.

“Our focus on offering value for money with high service standards in a quality pub environment is generating strong consumer appeal and maximising returns on our investment programmes.”

• The British Beer and Pub Association has this week blamed a rise in tax for a 10% drop in beer sales in pubs and supermarkets in the three months to June. It said taxes had resulted in a 10p hike in the price of pint compared with the same period in 2010.