SCOTTISH craft brewer Innis & Gunn is to build a new plant in Edinburgh, creating up to 30 jobs as the company gears up to meet increased demand for its products.
Its core range of craft lager, IPAs and barrel-aged beers will be produced at the new brewery, which will be in addition to its existing Perth brewery. The new Edinburgh facility will have an annual capacity of 400,000 hectolitres – twice the firm’s current output and equivalent to 70 million pints.
Innis & Gunn said it is are expanding to meet growing domestic and international demand, and the new brewery will support its aim of reaching a turnover target of £40 million by 2021.
The location of the site has not been revealed and will be subject to the outcome of planning applications to Edinburgh Council.
The existing brewery in Perthshire came with the purchase of Inveralmond Brewery in 2016. Innis & Gunn will continue to brew the Inveralmond Brewery range of cask and bottled ales as well as focusing on experimentation and limited edition barrel-ales.
The company said investment in the construction of a new brewery will also allow for high-speed canning, bottling and kegging capability, and streamline several outsourced brewing and packaging sites to one single location.
There will also be a tap room and visitor area and the company is intending to create and support food and beer festivals in the new premises.
Revealing the news to shareholders at the company’s AGM in Glasgow on Thursday evening, founder and master brewer, Dougal Gunn Sharp, said “Drinkers around the world are increasingly turning to the amazing quality and flavour of craft beer and Innis & Gunn is driving this trend. We couldn’t be more excited to tell our shareholders and fans this exciting news.
“Building a new brewery will cement our Edinburgh heritage as well as creating a focal point for our beers in the capital.
“It provides the brewing, packaging and warehousing capacity we need as we continue to strive to meet the surging demand for our lager. For me, putting the brewery in Edinburgh, where we first brewed Innis & Gunn, feels like we have come home as a business.”
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