Breal Group invests £1 million into Black Sheep Brewery

Breal Group has invested £1 million into Black Sheep Brewery with the sum going towards a new brewhouse as well as expanding the beer range.

Detailing the move, Breal Group revealed the “£1m investment in its Masham site that will see it become the centre for brewing excellence in the region and beyond” and explained that “work has already begun to transform the brewery’s production facilities”. A move it has insisted “underpins” its “commitment to the iconic brand”.

Speaking to the drinks business, Breal Group CEO Mark Williams said: “In the face of many challenges within the industry, Breal Group is committed to the exceptional breweries within its portfolio, as well as the sector as-a-whole. Investment forms an important part of this, as this Black Sheep announcement demonstrates.

The investment, which will be targeted at making sure the future of the brewery is “secure”, has also been allocated towards expanding the brand’s reach beyond its home in Yorkshire and assisting in it growing nationally.

Williams told db: “We are very much looking to the future, and the move will not only help secure Black Sheep’s operations in the heart of Yorkshire, but will allow us to grow the brand, taking it to new corners of the country.”

Breal Group revealed that the investment will cover the cost of “an entirely new tank farm and state of the art brewhouse at the Wellgarth site, and the complete transformation of the capability and capacity at the Fearby Road packaging facility” both located in Masham, North Yorkshire.

The “significant” investment will also “facilitate the increased capacity via the expansion of its cold storage, bottling, kegging, and racking facilities” and “also secures the brewery for years to come, generating new employment for existing and future generations” the group has assured.

As well as Breal Group’s acquisition of Black Sheep in May 2023, the private equity firm has also bought struggling British breweries including, most recently, Purity Brewing Co and London-based Brew By Numbers and Brick Brewery wading in as each beer business faced administration.

Last week, Breal Group hinted to db that it would soon “be making an announcement around a significant investment in Black Sheep” in a bid to show how it was investing in the future longevity of its recent brewery acquisitions.