St Austell Brewery and Thatchers ink new deal for next decade

St Austell Brewery has signed a new 10-year deal with Thatchers Cider which will see the Cornish brewer’s pubs stocking Thatchers’ brands.

St Austell Brewery revealed that the two companies have been working in close partnership since 2002 and added that the new deal will also see Thatchers as a key drinks partner for over 160 pubs, inns, and hotels across the west country – including its managed houses and leased and tenanted sites. St Austell Brewery also operates two brewery production sites in both St Austell and Warmley, near Bath.

As part of the new agreement, Thatchers brands are additionally going to become widely available to St Austell Brewery’s 3,000+ free trade customers across the region via its wholesale business, a move that will further strengthen the partnership.

Speaking about the new deal, St Austell Brewery chief executive Kevin Georgel said: “We’re delighted to continue our longstanding partnership with Thatchers by signing this new 10-year deal. It’s a fellow family-owned drinks company, which shares many of our values. Working collaboratively with other businesses in our region, and building strong long-term relationships, is something which has always been important to us. It’s fantastic to continue supporting one another by growing Thatchers’ west country distribution whilst bolstering our drinks portfolio and cider offer for pub guests and wholesale customers.”

Thatchers Cider’s fourth generation cider maker Martin Thatcher explained: “Working in partnership with St Austell Brewery just makes sense; we share our values, roots and commitment to giving customers a great experience. This 10-year deal, which may seem short in comparison to the combined 292 years of family expertise our companies have, is a testament to our shared commitment to collaboration and sustainability. We look forward to raising a glass in a St Austell pub to celebrate.”

St Austell Brewery recently revealed plans to collaborate with Sussex brewery Burning Sky to make a beer that is being positioned as a “supercharged” version of Proper Job. The Cornish brewer also revealed a joint venture with Harbour in a move that will see the businesses opening a new beer venue together in Charlestown.

Never resting on its laurels, St Austell Brewery also recently unveiled its redesign for its Proper Job brand with a makeover to assist in enticing new drinkers without putting off loyal fans. At the start of the year, St Austell Brewery also brought its beer brands and entire wholesale portfolio to South Wales as part of a major expansion.