Great British Drinks Co reveals ‘next phase’ for breweries under new leadership
The Great British Drinks Co, which owns beer brands including Black Sheep, Purity, Fourpure, North, Magic Rock, Brick, Brew By Numbers and Saltaire, has appointed former Buxton Brewery boss Dominic Metcalfe as its new managing director.
The Great British Drinks Co, which was founded earlier this year by Paramount Retail Group following its acquisition of Keystone Brewing, has already revealed plans to “continue to invest” in both the breweries and the beer brands. Additionally, it has hinted at the appointment of Metcalfe signalling the business’s “next phase of growth”.
In announcing his appointment, Metcalfe said he was “incredibly honoured” to be joining the firm, citing the opportunity to work alongside its entrepreneurial founders and help realise the company’s vision of restoring regional British brewing.
A vision to ‘restore regional British brewing’
The company has reiterated that Metcalfe joins the business with “significant” experience in the sector as well as a reputation for driving both commercial growth and building relationships along the way.
Revealing more about the appointment, Great British Drinks Co co-founder Sunny Sharma said: “Dominic brings significant drinks experience and has a strong track record of building brands, developing customer relationships and leading commercial growth – he shares our vision to restore regional British brewing.”
Sharma explained: “As we continue to invest in our breweries and portfolio of brands, Dom’s appointment reflects our ambition to accelerate the next phase of growth. We look forward to him joining the team and wish him every success in his new role.”
Metcalfe’s tenure at Buxton Brewery lasted just two years, but prior to that he has occupied roles with Thornbridge, Black Isle Brewing, Timothy Taylor’s and Adnams and has amassed more than 20 years experience in the brewing sector.
Keystone Brewing was previously named Breal, which bought up several craft breweries that were potentially facing administration over the last few years in a buying spree that saw the firm’s closure of sites and staff departures raise questions over its investment into the legacy of the beer brand’s identities. The business then fell into financial challenges itself and faced administrators prior to its sale to The Great British Drinks Co, which swooped in and saved 145 jobs in what was called a “restoration deal”.
Shaping the future
Discussing his departure from Buxton, Metcalfe described his time with the brewery as “by no means has it been an easy ride” but noted that he leaves the business “in a healthy position – busy venues in growth both top and bottom line, new national and regional grocery listings, widened export markets, national pub co wins and a rapidly growing e-commerce business amongst other successes”.
Speaking about his new role with The Great British Drinks Co and the “new challenge” ahead, Metcalfe explained that the company defines itself “as stewards of incredible breweries and brands” and admitted that many of them have “played a pivotal part” in his “journey through beer”.
He added: “Black Sheep Brewery was a beer that regularly featured on the bar in my family’s pub in the late 1990’s in Hampshire when I was growing up. Purity Brewing Co was one of the first partner brands I worked with when I started my career in beer at Adnams Brewery back in 2005. Similarly, I have seen Magic Rock Brewing Co. And North Brewing help shape and define the craft/indie beer scene over the past couple of decades. Regardless of their past, I now have the privilege of helping to shape the future of these iconic heritage brands along with the rest of the team at GBDC and I could not be more excited to get to work.”
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