Belhaven Magazine Issue 6 - Sep-Oct 2023

BEERS, LAGERS & CIDERS

Deal 2 Greene King Cask 5+1 Deal p4

Buy 5 casks from our Permanent or Seasonal ranges and get a 6th cask completely FREE

Deal 3 Deuchars POS deal p7

Buy 2x9G Deuchars for POS kit FREE

Deal 4 Ice Breaker, East Coast IPA & Maltsmiths Install Deal p8

New install deal - FREE keg & POS kit upon install

Deal 5 Estrella Galicia 2+1 0% Deal p12

Buy 2 cases of Estrella Galicia 4.7% or 5.5% Gluten Free and get a case of Estrella Galicia 0,0% FREE

Deal 6 Estrella Galicia Install Deal p12

FREE 50L keg and branded glassware with Estrella Galicia install

Deal 7 MCBC Stockist Deal p14

Stock 3 MCBC brands and receive 50 menus, stock 4 and get 100 FREE

Deal 8 Moretti Install Deal p15

Install Moretti for a FREE 50L keg & Premium POS kit

Deal 9 Level Head & Flint Eye Install Deal p16

New install deal - 2 FREE kegs & POS kit upon install

Deal 11 Guinness World Cup POS Deal p26

Buy 3x50L or 5x30L of Guinness and receive a FREE Rugby World Cup POS kit!

Deal 12 Maltsmiths POS deal p28

Buy 1x30L Maltsmiths Lager for POS kit FREE

Deal 13 Greene King Packaged 3+1 Deal p32

Buy 3 cases get 1 case FREE

Deal 16 Belhaven Best Install Deal p36

Install Belhaven Best for 1 FREE keg and POS kit

Deal 17 Belhaven Black Install Deal p40

Install Belhaven Black for 2 FREE kegs and POS kit

Deal 18 Camden Install Deal p44

Install Camden Hells or Pale and receive a Bronze Rugby POS kit + a FREE 30L Keg

Deal 19 Old Spooky Hen POS deal p48

Buy 1x9G OR 2x4.5G Old Spooky Hen (Old Speckled Hen) for FREE POS kit

Deal 21 Wolfpack Install Deal p54

FREE 50L keg and POS kit with every install of Wolfpack Sesh, Pilsner or Lager

Deal 22 Pravha Install Deal p56

Install Pravha for 1 FREE keg & Premium POS kit

Deal 23 ABK Hells Install Deal p58

FREE Keg plus Oktoberfest POS kit & glassware on install

Deal 26 Asahi Super Dry Install Deal p62

Install Asahi Super Dry and receive a FREE 50L keg, 24 Pint glasses and 12 Half Pint glasses

Deal 29 Belhaven Best POS deal p66

FREE Rugby POS Kit available

Deal 30 Belhaven Packaged 4+1 Deal p68

Buy any 4 cases of Belhaven Best or Belhaven Black 440ml, get 1 case FREE

FOR ALL ORDERS PLEASE CONTACT OUR CUSTOMER SALES ON: 0345 607 5325

SPIRITS

Deal 10 Jameson - Fever Tree Deal p26

Buy 3x70cl Jameson and receive a FREE case of Fever Tree

24x200ml Ginger Ale

Deal 14 Diageo BIB POS Deal p34

Buy 2 BIBs of any flavour for a FREE POS Kit!

Deal 15 Tanqueray POS Deal p34

Buy any 3x70cl from the range and receive a FREE POS kit!

Deal 25 Antica POS Deal p60

Buy any 3x70cl, get a POS kit FREE

Deal 27 Monkey Shoulder POS Deal p62

Buy a bottle of Monkey Shoulder & get 6 glasses FREE

Client: Fever - Tree

Job Name: 1010929 Adults Softs Whole Ad

File Ref: 1010929_FT_Adult Softs Wholesale Ad_A5_V3

File Size: 180mm (W) x 119mm (H) – File Scale: 1:1

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SOFT DRINKS

Deal 1 Fever Tree 3+1 p3

Buy 3 Get 1 FREE on adult softs

Deal 24 Schweppes 3+1 Deal p60

Buy any 3 cases of Schweppes 200ml tonics, mixers or juices and get 1 FREE case of the new Schweppes Soda range (Melon Watermelon or Peach Coconut)

Deal 28 J20 Deal p64

Buy 4 cases from the J20 range to receive a case free

COMpletely free ¹ FROM THE ranges below

AVAILABLE September & October

Style: Golden Ale

Colour: Gold ABV: 4% A refreshing golden ale with citrus, soft tropical fruit and fresh dry hop characters. Pale malt gives a clean easy drinking body. The perfect pint for the Rugby.

AVAILABLE October

Style: Premium Ale

Colour: Ebony ABV: 4.2% An easy drinking beer with warming to ee character and a touch of orange peel citrus and spiciness.

AVAILABLE MID SEPT & October

Style: Pale Ale

Colour: Copper ABV: 4.5% A Halloween dressing for Old Speckled Hen. Auburn and copper on the eye; malty, to ee notes on the nose; and then a further lovely helping of malt in the taste.

AVAILABLE October & NOVEmber

Style: Porter

Colour: Black ABV: 4.7% Creamy, caramel, malty with upfront chocolate and hints of roasted co ee and a slight bitterness.

A season of opportunity

As we gently begin the countdown to the all-important festive period, the 51-day Rugby World Cup offers the perfect opportunity to start building momentum early and lay the foundations for a profitable end to the year.

Key Dates:

8th Sep – 28th Oct

Rugby World Cup

16th September

100 Days Until Christmas

21st Sep – 1st Oct Cask Ale Week

29th Sep – 1st Oct Ryder Cup

5th Oct – 19th Nov

One Day International Cricket World Cup

31st October Halloween

5th November Bonfire Night

There may still be challenges aplenty for both venues and their customers but there’s no doubt that the remaining months of 2023 offer a catalogue of profit-laden opportunities to end the year on a high and continue to reinvigorate the vital hospitality industry.

At this time of year, our thoughts are already turning to Christmas and the festive period. Before we get to that point, however, the Rugby World Cup offers venues an excellent opportunity to begin building momentum early.

France is hosting the tournament, which means the 48 matches that take place across September and October kick off at venue-friendly times, typically 4.45pm and 8pm. With all four Home Nations represented, it’s likely that many of the matches across the 51 days of the tournament will draw a crowd to your venue.

The key, then, is to capitalise on the Rugby World Cup to deliver increased September and October sales before seamlessly sliding into the festive period. In other words: four straight months of opportunity.

Greene King IPA and Belhaven Best being just two fine examples.

Data from the last major rugby tournament –the Six Nations – also highlights another huge opportunity: stout sales rose 85% during the tournament. In addition, stout as a category has continued to grow throughout this year.

With that in mind, our own Belhaven Black stout has recently been rebranded and is growing even quicker than the market-leading stout. Unlike the many new entrants to the stout market, Belhaven Black has a long and venerable history and unquestionably offers a fantastic-quality pint with a flavour profile that customers love – and with a more competitive price point that customers also appreciate.

And in the midst of all this opportunity, let’s not forget Cask Ale Week that starts on the 21st of September. This presents another brilliant chance to grow sales of a quintessentially British drink, both by targeting existing cask fans and by bringing new drinkers into the category.

30th November Andrews Day www.valueforvenues.co.uk

Having the right range in place to do just that will be critical and Greene King and Belhaven are blessed with a fantastic range that has longstanding and deep relationships with rugby,

I wish you all fantastic trading over what looks to be a truly exciting period.

Paul Downing

On Trade Sales Director, Greene King

2x9g Deuchars IPA

24x GlASSES 2x bar runners 100x drip mats

Solid gold in colour, distinctive light malt and fresh floral flavours combine with the zesty citrus hop to deliver a mouth-watering adventure.

Winner of over 40 awards including CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain and also Best Cask Ale at the Brewing Industry International Awards.

Deuchars IPA is the number 1 cask ale in Scotland with the number one rate of sale.1

P11 News: Cask Pins rollout completed.

P18 Cask Ale Week: Britain’s annual celebration of cask ales.

P22 Consumer insight: the latest important trends in food and drink.

P24 Customer Profile: Fordhouses Cricket Club in Wolverhampton approaches centenary year.

P30 Customer Profile: Hillend Tavern named CAMRA Scottish Pub of the Year.

P38 Belhaven Black rebrand: refresh set to accelerate growth.

P42 Rugby World Cup: 51 days of opportunities to grow sales and profits.

P46 Halloween: cash in on spooky sales with limited-edition cask ales.

P50 Meet The Team – Fiona Davies: Wine category lead in the spotlight.

P53 Money Maker: Wombourne Cricket, Tennis & Bowling Club saved £2,500 with the help of Greene King’s Money Maker programme.

P55 Financial Support: Greene King support helps revitalise 16th century pub.

P59 New Products: some of the latest products to hit the bar.

P61 Proud To Pitch In: £500k milestone smashed.

P63 Guest Column: Head Brewer Jack Palmer talks cask ale.

Pins making cask more accessible than ever

Greene King has completed the rollout of smaller 4.5-gallon cask pins, allowing venues to reduce wastage, expand their ranges and increase profits.

Greene King has completed the rollout of smaller 4.5-gallon unit cask pin containers, becoming be the first major cask brewer to do so in the UK. Cask pins help make cask ale more accessible than ever for free trade customers, allowing them to minimise or eliminate wastage, enhance their ranges and grow their profits.

The introduction of pins represents a sevenfigure investment by Greene King and cask pins have now been made available to all customers across Greene King’s seasonal cask beers range. The Limited-Edition Fresh Cask Releases programme features a rolling portfolio of cask styles and flavours tailored to specific points in the year.

Greene King believes that the introduction of pins containing 36 pints per unit (half the size of the industry standard 9g container) will reinvigorate the sector by helping venues deliver a range of fantastic caskfresh beer to customers every time, whilst also minimising wastage.

In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, this investment provides Greene King customers with the opportunity and the confidence to expand the range of cask ales on their bar which will help encourage

more people to try cask ale and ultimately broaden its appeal.

The smaller format means venues have the ability to manage a lower throughput at quieter times of the week, meaning less waste or risk of serving beer past its best quality. During busier times, cask pins offer the customer the opportunity to provide a seasonal cask ale, providing a wider choice on the bar.

CGA BrandTrack data shows that cask drinkers are happy to pay more for a great quality pint* and Greene King believes the launch of pins is another step in positioning cask ale as the premium product it should be on the bar.

John Malone, Head of Brewery Engagement at Greene King said: “Introducing pins provides our customers with the opportunity to expand their range and offer seasonal ales that provide a wider choice of styles and flavours to their guests. Cask ale is at the heart of a great pub, driving footfall and guest loyalty. We aim to support our customers in serving the best range of perfect quality beers for their bar.”

PINS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

WHAT ARE PINS?

Pins are smaller containers for cask conditioned ale. Containing 4.5 gallons of ale, they are half the size of a traditional 9-gallon firkin. This means you only need to sell 12 pints a day to maintain quality (rather than 24 when using firkins).

WHY AND WHEN SHOULD YOU USE PINS?

There are three mean reasons for stocking pins:

1. To broaden your range of ales.

2. To add cask to your line up.

3. To offer cask ale during quieter times of the week.

ARE PINS ALWAYS A BETTER OPTION?

Not necessarily. If you sell a full firkin every three days you do not need to switch to pins. Clearly, however, you could still take advantage of pins to add more choice to your range.

Reduce waste Improve yield Drive quality

More profit

*Data provided by CGA BrandTrack Feb 2022

Alcohol Duty overhaul now in effect

The UK government has completed an overhaul of the Alcohol Duty system which sees all alcoholic drinks taxed based on their alcohol by volume (ABV).

August 2023 saw the implementation of a new Alcohol Duty system which means that all alcoholic drinks are now taxed based on their alcohol by volume (ABV), with drinks with a higher alcoholic percentage subject to higher rates of duty.

The reform was first announced in the Spring Budget earlier this year following freezes on alcohol duty which were implemented last year.

The new system creates six standardised alcohol duty bands across all types of alcoholic products and apply to all businesses involved in the manufacture, distribution and sale of alcoholic products across the UK.

Lower-strength drinks below 3.5% ABV are now charged at a new lower rate of duty to “encourage the growth of health-conscious consumption”.

As part of the reform, the Government is implementing a reduced rate for draught products to “recognise the vital role played by pubs in our communities”.

Draught Relief will reduce alcohol duty on qualifying beer and cider by 9.2%, and by 23% on qualifying wine-based, spiritsbased and other fermented products, sold in on-trade venues.

According to the Government, the reform means that every pint in every pub across the UK will pay less duty than their supermarket equivalent, in line with the government’s Brexit Pubs Guarantee.

Wine will be taxed incrementally, by 0.5%

ABV, between 11.5% and 14.5%. However, these changes will not come into play until 1st February 2025.

In the meantime, temporary arrangements will be in place for 18 months from 1st August which see all wines between 11.5% and 14.5% ABV taxed as if they are 12.5% in strength — a temporary duty increase of £0.44 per 75cl bottle. After 1st February 2025, wines will be split into sub-categories with differing duty rates.

Sparkling wines are now being aligned with still wines in terms of duty payable, effectively reducing the cost of these products.

NEW ALCOHOL DUTY SYSTEM

Alcoholic strength of alcoholic product Rate of duty per litre of alcohol in the product

Less than 1.2% £0 At least 1.2% but less than 3.5% £9.27 At least 3.5% but less than 8.5% See Exemptions Table At least 8.5% but not exceeding 22% £28.50 Exceeding 22% £31.64

EXEMPTIONS

For products of at least 3.5% but less than 8.5%, the following rates of duty per litre of alcohol in the product apply:

Still cider or Sparkling cider of an alcoholic strength not exceeding 5.5% £9.67

Beer £21.01

Spirits, wine, and other fermented products; or sparkling cider of an alcoholic strength exceeding 5.5% £24.77

Greene King brands claim more awards

Abbot Ale, Ice Breaker and Level Head have all further enhanced their reputations with a raft of new independently-judged industry awards.

Three of Greene King’s outstanding beers have added to their trophy collection in recent weeks with fantastic accolades in independentlyjudged award programmes.

Abbot Ale has scooped Gold in the Premium Bitters category and Silver in the Supreme Champion category at the Great British Beer Festival which took place in August at Olympia London.

The Champion Beer of Britain award is one of the most prestigious beer competitions in the world and is the ultimate honour for UK brewers. Judging for the competition takes around a year, starting

with individual nominations from CAMRA members and local and regional competitions.

Meanwhile, Ice Breaker Pale Ale has been awarded the highestpossible award at the Great Taste Awards 2023, receiving the top ‘three star’ award! Of the 14,000 brands that enter, only 1.8% of those receive three stars and Ice Breaker was the only pale ale to receive the top award.

Ice Breaker also won the Country Winner for the Pale Ale Category at the World Beer Awards, as well as collecting a Gold medal. Finally, new brand Level Head also received a Silver medal in the IPA category at the World Beer Awards too.

INSTALL LEVEL HEAD OR FLINT EYE AND GET:

TWO FREE KEGS * &

Brand

New Beers, Centuries in the Making

PREMIUM POS KIT *

SPEAK TO YOUR SALES DEVELOPMENT MANAGER TO DISCUSS ELIGIBILITY FOR YOUR VENUE.

* Promotion available for new installs of Level Head or Flint Eye during September and October 2023. New stockists only. One deal per customer per brand. First free 30L keg and POS will be issued upon confirmed install of Flint Eye or Level Head. Second free 30L keg will be awarded after 8 weeks continuous stocking. Eligibility of venues will be confirmed by a Greene King Sales Development Manager. Point of sale items are subject to availability and may be substituted or delayed. 100 deals available.

Cash in on Cask Ale Week

Cask Ale Week is the foremost annual celebaration of Britain’s national drink and offers venues selling cask ales a fantastic opportunity to grow sales and profits as well as bringing new customers into cask.

CASK MARQUE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW…

Cask Ale Week is organised by Cask Marque, an independent company set up in 1997 to help ensure that the cask ale customers drink in pubs in the UK is in perfect condition.

The heart of the company’s work is an accreditation scheme that sees 50 qualified assessors make over 20,000 visits to over 20,000 pubs each to check the temperature, appearance, aroma and taste of Britain’s favourite drink.

All beers must make the grade to pass the visit and accredited pubs are then promoted through the CaskFinder App, CaskFinder Online and through the plaque and POS at the pub. Recent independent research for the Cask Report 2019-20 identified that 77% of beer drinkers recognised the Cask Marque plaque as a badge of quality.

Cask Ale Week is the leading annual celebration of Britain’s unofficial national drink – cask beer. Taking place in autumn each year, the festival of cask ale presents a unique opportunity for venues to get involved and drive sales of and profits among existing customers while also providing an outstanding opportunity to encourage new customers to sample the incomparable delights of a fresh, live, delicious beer.

Formed in the early 2000s by Cask Marque, Cask Ale Week is supported by the major trade organisations, brewers and pub groups as well as The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). It is, of course, also backed heavily by Greene King and Belhaven who have centuries-old traditions of producing some of the country’s most popular cask ales.

CASK STARS

The key to unlocking fresh footfall, sales and profits is, of course, in stocking a

good range of cask ales behind the bar. Greene King and Belhaven are perfectly placed to offer you access to a fantastic range of immensely popular cask classics as well as an exciting, innovative range of limited-edition cask ales.

We know that cask drinkers represent an incredibly loyal section of society with seven in 10 stating that they know they are going to choose cask before they even arrive at your venue [CGA Path To Purchase Report 2021]. These same drinkers also like to try different cask ales with three in five cask drinkers choosing at least two different brands per visit [CGA OPM, Oct 2022].

So there’s a ready-made audience of cask fanatics out there ready to target, as well as a whole new generation of drinkers waiting to be lured into a category with a deep, rich history and tradition – as well as an abundance of flavour. Cask Ale Week offers the perfect opportunity to target both of these audiences.

FREE RESOURCES!

The official website for Cask Ale Week offers venues extensive support and resources they can use to promote the festival and help generate additional footfall.

OFFICIAL INFO PACK

The site offers a free information pack to venues to help inspire them and provide a wide array of tips and advice to make the most of Cask Ale Week.

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENT

The site offers the opportunity to venues to be included on the official Cask Ale Week map and the Cask Finder app to advertise to consumers the great beers and activities they have planned for Cask Ale Week.

CASK ALE WEEK PUB QUIZ

Venues can also access a free, specially created and tailored Cask Ale Week pub quiz.

Simply visit: caskaleweek.co.uk/ pubs-and-breweries/

If any Greene King cask ales – broached or un-broached – go out of date, you can claim a full refund for un-broached & credit for remaining volume on broached casks*.

Excludes

– 31 December). A maximum of 4 containers can be returned per customer (broached or un-broached) under this Cask Iron Guarantee in any quarter. 4.5 gallon pins are excluded. The customer should check all containers have a readable label including all appropriate expiry information at point of delivery and the point of return. Without this label being visible Greene King will be unable to accept your return. Returns will only be accepted when the remaining volume is 16 pints (2 gallons) or more. Customer must quote ‘Cask iron Guarantee’ when calling Beer Returns. Credit will be offered on the

Greene King and Belhaven’s permanent range of cask ales offers something for everyone. From Greene King IPA, Abbot Ale and Yardbird to Belhaven 80/-, Old Speckled Hen, Ruddles Best and Hardy & Hansons Bitter, there is a cask ale to suit every taste.

FRESH CASK RELEASES

Building on the fantastic core range, however, is Greene King’s Fresh Cask Releases range of 18 limited edition seasonal cask ales that continue to add fresh excitement into the category and offer loyal but adventurous cask drinkers new

TOP TIPS

To help you make the most of Cask Ale Week, here are a few quick and simple tips to help you drive footfall, sales and profits.

PROMOTIONS

Always a great way to drive footfall – and keep people in the pub for

COMPETITIONS

People love prizes. Competitions offer a fantastic way of raising profile and for relatively low expenditure, you can get a lot of participation.

COMMUNITY ACTIVITY

The Fresh Cask Releases limited edition ales available during Cask Ale Week include:

Mischief Maker super hoppy 6.0% ABV IPA brewed using new British hops to deliver a complex mix of fruit aromas and flavours.

Bonkers Conkers complex 4.1% ABV autumn beer with fruit aromas and flavours against a backdrop of biscuity malt.

Think outside the pub. Take cask ale out into the community and do something different with it.

BEER FESTIVALS

A tried and tested way to drive consumers into pubs and breweries. You may already have a festival set up – so make sure you tie it in with Cask Ale Week. If you don’t, Greene King and Belhaven may be able to help. Please speak to your SDM.

Whether you’re aiming to hit the national headlines or wow the local community, there’s a vast range of things you can do. The only limit is your imagination.

all 3 are available in pins

Fresh Legs – a refreshing 4.0% ABV golden ale with citrus, soft tropical fruit and fresh dry hop characteristics and a clean, easy-drinking body.

Food and drink: key trends

By Caroline Morley,

Keeping up to date with the latest important food and drink trends is critical in ensuring that the offer we all bring to market is in line with what today’s consumers are looking for. That’s why we work with a trend tracking agency called The Food People who help us understand exactly what’s going on in the marketplace and to help us identify the key food and drink trends.

It’s vital that we understand what is driving consumer purchase now and in the future. Additionally, we also do a lot of research on all of our menus in our managed estate before we launch them, and the information and insight we gather during that research is very valuable and certainly worth sharing with our free trade customers.

Here are some learnings to help you think about your food and drink offering, as well as some suggestion on how to capitalise on that insight in your own venue:

1. LEARNING: CELEBRATE THE JOY OF FOOD

The cost-of-living crisis means customers rely more than ever on small pleasures to bring enjoyment to their days.

Action: Celebrate the joy of food in your venue. Food is a fundamental part of life and is far more than simple sustenance: it’s central to the enjoyment of visiting a venue with family and friends. Why not be more descriptive on your menus and on social media, highlighting the sensory pleasures food can bring to your customers? If you are able, use photography to bring your dishes to life.

2.LEARNING: TRAVEL THE WORLD

Today’s consumers are increasingly well-travelled and increasingly interested in trying new and exotic cuisines from around the world. Our research shows that the cuisines currently trending include Korean, Italian and Fusion.

Action: Are there accessible ways you could bring some variety to your menu through introducing new dishes and experimenting with new world cuisines? Unlocking the more unusual can be a talking point for customers – think about smoked flavours, sweet twists on savoury dishes, simple but interesting flavoured sauces such as chipotle mayonnaise. The options are limited only by the imagination of your kitchen team.

3. LEARNING: NOSTALGIA IS NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE

Despite the growing consumer interest in far-flung cuisine, you don’t always have to travel to the other side of the world to deliver a memorable dining experience for your customers. Traditional, nostalgic food has very much been on trend through the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, and offers great opportunities to unlock sales and profit growth.

Action: Adding some modern takes on old-school classics can be a relatively easy way to bring new life to your menu and tap into the joy of familiar comfort food. Comforting desserts like Jam Roly Poly hark back to simpler times and, with a little effort, can be presented in a number of ways: no-frills traditional, upweighted premium or modern twist. Again, you and your kitchen team will know which options are most appropriate for your customer base.

In the latest in our regular series of insight-driven articles, Caroline Morley takes a deep dive into the key food and drink trends shaping the way today’s consumers eat and drink in-venue.

Insights Manager – Consumer

4. LEARNING: HEALTHY HABITS

Health and wellbeing has been a long-standing trend that shows no signs of waning. More and more consumers are seeking dishes they perceive to be better for them, perhaps not every time they eat out, but many are seeking to eat more healthily more often.

Action: You could introduce an expanded salads section to your menu, moving beyond the standard Chicken Caeser and Greek Salad classics and introducing fusion-influenced salads to offer more interesting options to customers looking for a delicious but healthy dish. Or you could add a fresh twist to classic salads to bring them up to date and broaden their appeal.

Similarly, you could boost the health credentials of many of the dishes you already sell by cutting back on salt, fat and sugar and using leaner cuts of meat and fresh vegetables on the side.

DESIGNING YOUR MENU

Our extensive menu research shows that are some key things to think about when designing your menu to tap into the trends highlighted above. These include:

Layout and flow – how easy is the menu to read and understand?

Menu content and style – what’s the best way to present your dishes to diners? Through imagery? Through descriptions? Can you bring them to life more with some extended descriptions or some artistic photography?

Fonts and colours – the design of your menus can say a lot about your venue.

Pricing, deals and promotions – consider how to make these elements stand out at a time when customers are being careful with their money.

DRINKS TRENDS

To complement your food menus, it’s also a good idea to keep abreast of the latest drinks trends. By keeping up with the latest consumer insight and taking a considered approach to the drinks you serve, you can help ensure that your drinks sales and profits are maximised:

Season changes are always a good time to introduce new and different drinks: use POS to draw attention to new and exciting flavours and create simple extensions that are accessible and easy, such as a Peach Spritz.

Rum-based cocktails are continuing to gather momentum. Why not use some of the new flavoured rums available to drive experimentation?

Garnish – don’t underestimate the power of other customers viewing the drinks you serve! Instagramability is key!

Nostalgia counts in drinks too – tap into retro and comforting influences, dessert-inspired flavours are always popular and holiday flavours also play well with customers.

93 not out!

Fordhouses Cricket & Social Club in Wolverhampton is rapidly approaching its landmark centenary anniversary and the Club has never been in better shape.

The world may have changed beyond recognition over the last 100 years but many of England’s longest-standing and proudest traditions thankfully remain alive and well, thanks in no small part to bands of passionate, committed individuals like those you will find at the helm at Fordhouses Cricket & Social Club (FCC) in Wolverhampton.

The historic club was first founded way back in 1927 and is approaching its centenary year, a remarkable achievement considering the challenges that the last 93 have thrown at it. Like all near centuryold business, however, Fordhouses has found a way to navigate through a World War, collapsed landlords, enforced

relocations, countless restructuring of the cricket league system and a whole lot more besides – and that’s before we even get to the Covid pandemic.

Over that long period, however, one thing has become clear: the hospitality element of the business has become increasingly important in generating the revenues the not-for-profit Club needs to survive – and thrive.

“It’s certainly been an interesting journey since 1927,” laughs Kevin Threlfall, President of the Club since 1991. “I haven’t been here for the whole journey obviously! My first encounter with the Club was when I was about eight months

old and being wheeled around in a pram in 1949 as my father was heavily involved at that point.”

Kevin’s father Jack was indeed a legend of the Club, so much so that the ground was named in his honour: the Jack Threlfall Memorial Ground. Jack had joined the Club in 1946 and went on to play a hugely influential role in the development of the Club, becoming Captain, Secretary and latterly President.

When he passed away in 1991, Kevin was asked to take over the Presidency. That was 33 years ago, and Kevin is still in the role today, and enjoying every minute, it seems.

CONSTANT EVOLUTION

Over the 93 years of its existence, the Club has successfully overcome endless challenges including the shift from playing the ‘friendly’ fixtures against local opposition that were the norm for the first 45 years or so. That came with its own challenges and dramatically increased the importance of the commercial side of the business, as the costs of running the Club were on the rise, as indeed they are today.

Fordhouses’ first tentative step into hospitality, if you could call it that, was the introduction of its first ever ‘pavilion’ in 1964: a First World War Nissen hut. In

1964 the first true pavilion was built at the princely cost of £3,000 – and was officially opened by former Sussex and England Captain Ted Dexter.

When the league system came into being in the 1970s, the club had to evolve with the times and again take a more focused approach to raising income.

By the late 1970s, Fordhouses was hosting International Cricket Club Trophy matches, effectively preliminary games for the Cricket World Cup, featuring teams like Kenya, Holland and Argentina.

In 1983 a new 25-year lease was signed, providing the club with much-needed

STAR TURNS

COMMITTEE

Helen

Rob

Mike

Fordhouses Cricket Club has played host to many famous names over the years…

Sir Ian Botham OBE declares the Club’s new ground officially open.

The Club’s first XI played a team of former England Internationals including stars such as Phil DeFreitas, Jonathan Trott and Matthew Hoggard.

(LEFT TO RIGHT)

Peter Jones – Chairman

Williams – Hon Sec and Treasurer

Hatton – Bar Manager

Mandzuk – Vice Chairman

Kevin Threlfall – President

security, or so it seemed at the time. Two years later, however, disaster struck when the Club’s landlord went into administration and their land assets placed in the hands of a liquidator. The battle to secure the future of the Club would take until 2001 to be entirely concluded.

“My dad asked me before he passed away to make sure that I resolved this problem and secured a ground for the long-term future of the Club,” recalls Kevin. “And I’m delighted to say that, eventually, we did just that. It took a long time and lot of pain, but we managed.”

A search began for a new ground and, in 2001, Wolverhampton City Council agreed to reassign a lease on an industrial sports ground in nearby Wobaston Road to Fordhouses.

“We finally moved to our new ground in 2004,” says Chairman Peter Jones, who has held that position for 20 years.

“It was such a relief to no longer be in doubt about our future,” he says. “But we faced real challenges to raise funding and drive commercial opportunities to allow us to do all the work that we wanted to do at the new ground.”

A BRIEF HISTORY OF FORDHOUSES CRICKET CLUB

Formed on 2nd April 1927.

First match played on 18th May 1927.

Ground purchased by late President W.H. Bradburn and leased back to the Club for a peppercorn rent of £20 a year.

Jack Threlfall joined in 1946 and would play an influential role in the development of the Club, becoming Captain, Secretary and latterly President.

New pavilion built in 1964 and formally unveiled by E.R. (Ted) Dexter. Extension added in 1973, with extra changing rooms, toilets and showers.

From 1974 the traditional ‘friendly’ fixture list was replaced by League cricket.

In the late 1970s the Club began to host International Cricket Club Trophy matches, preliminary games for the Cricket World Cup.

New 25-year lease signed in 1983 – but two years later the landlord went into administration.

In 1991, Club President Jack Threlfall passed away, asking his son Kevin to oversee the resolution of the problem of the Club’s possible relocation.

First-ever overseas player recruited: Australian Steve Gollan.

Promoted to the prestigious Birmingham and District League.

In January 2001, Wolverhampton City Council agreed for the lease on an industrial sports ground in nearby Wobaston Road to be re-assigned to the Club.

In September 2004, the Club moved permanently to its new home.

In 2008, Countrywide Homes, seeking to build a residential development on the Club’s former site, were required under a Section 116 agreement to make a significant financial contribution towards the new site. Countrywide Homes then went into administration, but Bellway Homes took up the development option and the Club was still able to benefit from both the original sale agreement and Section 106 monies.

In March 2012 planning permission to redevelop the Clubhouse was granted and in 2013, Trustees Kevin Threlfall and Peter Jones signed a 99-year lease.

NEW ERA

The Club’s luck was set to change, however, when developer Countrywide Homes announced that it was seeking to build a residential development on the Club’s former site in 2008. Under what’s known as a Section 116 agreement, Countrywide had to make a significant financial contribution towards the provision and improvement of neighbourhood recreation leisure at Wobaston Road.

“We were obviously very pleased to learn that we would finally be able to receive the funding we needed to develop the new ground,” says Kevin. “But then Countrywide Homes went into administration! Fortunately, Bellway Homes took up the development option and we were still able to benefit from both the original sale agreement and Section 106 monies.”

By March 2012 planning permission to redevelop the Clubhouse was granted and in 2013, Kevin and Peter Jones signed a 99year lease.

“That was a memorable day” laughs Peter. To cap it all, Kevin’s friend, the one and only

Sir Ian Botham OBE, agreed to formally declare the new ground open.

93 NOT OUT

With a long-term lease secured and fantastic new facilities in place, Fordhouses had the platform it needed to build a solid, sustainable future. “The costs of running the Club have obviously grown significantly over time,” explains Helen Williams, Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, and another Club veteran with 21 years’ service under her belt. “We have over 60 players registered and over 70 junior players plus all the costs of running a business of this scale. It amounts to a lot of expenditure every year, something in the region of a quarter of a million pounds – and that’s before unplanned expenditure like £100,000 for a new roof!”

Known affectionately by her fellow Committee members as ‘The Glue,’ Helen says the hospitality side of the business is “absolutely critical” these days. “We’ve been working with Greene King for around 10 years and we have a great relationship with them and they’ve helped us develop the hospitality side. We have over 600 members

and we host a lot of events, from corporate events to weddings and funerals. It’s all tied up with being an active part of our local community but it’s also critical in helping us generate the revenues we need. A lot of our revenue comes via the bar.”

FUTURE PLANS

Fordhouses is now on a very steady commercial footing with plenty to look forward to, but one problem Kevin and his committee face is succession planning. He explains: “The Committee has worked wonders over the years and most of us have been here for decades, but it’s time for us to bring the next generation through and it’s not a simple task.

“We need new blood but finding people with the right attitude and the desire to understand what this club means, what it stands for and the importance of our long history is not a straightforward challenge.”

It’s a challenge that will be familiar to many venues but, judging from the last 93 years, it seems certain that Fordhouses will find a way forward as it has consistently done.

Dalgety Bay pub named Scotland’s best!

HILLEND TAVERN

VENUE TYPE

MON-THURS 4PM TO 11PM; FRI 3PM TO 12PM; SAT 1PM TO 12PM; SUN 1PM TO 11PM

Francesca and Mike Henderson have used the powerful lure of cask ale to successfully reinvigorate a once-flagging traditional 200-year-old wet-led pub in Dalgety Bay and have just been named CAMRA Pub of the Year.

The last five years or so have seen a major shift in pubs towards a food-led offer, no doubt accelerated by the challenges of the pandemic, so it’s easy to forget there is still a huge audience who prefer their local to be a traditional pub and not a restaurant with a few seats at the bar. That’s something that husband-andwife publican team Mike and Francesca Henderson deeply understand and have fully exploited in their traditional wetled pub on a quiet street in the small Fife town of Dalgety Bay. “We like to think of it as a pub’s pub, a proper pub,” laughs Mike.

On the face of it, the Hillend Tavern is an unlikely candidate for a bustling, busy, multi-award-winning pub. It’s on a quiet street that sees virtually no passing trade. It serves a relatively small local catchment area with fewer than 10,000 residents in the whole of Dalgety Bay, it has never served food and it’s not particularly big as pubs go.

“When we bought it our friends and family told us we were lunatics,” Francesca says.

“Not only was it a challenging prospect, but it was also way back in 2011 when we bought it, just a couple of years after the global financial crisis. Finance was not easy to find, and certainly not to buy a pub that, on the face of it, looked like it didn’t have all that much going for it.”

Thankfully, Mike and Francesca disagreed and now the Hillend Tavern is busier than ever – and the independent judges at CAMRA agree, as they’ve just named the Hillend Tavern Pub of the Year for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

FRESH START

“When we first started thinking about buying a pub, we didn’t have any real experience of running one,” admits Francesca. “I was working in asset finance for RBS in Edinburgh and Mike was a bus driver! We had both worked behind the bar as youngsters, which is how we first met, but that was my last experience of hospitality. But I did have experience in accounts, finance and admin, and Mike

“WE INTRODUCED A SINGLE PUMP – GREENE KING IPA –AND WITHIN SIX MONTHS HAD TO ADD A SECOND. WE’RE NOW UP TO FOUR AND REAL ALE IS OUR BIGGESTSELLING PRODUCT CATEGORY, BAR NONE.”

MIKE HENDERSON

had run a number of bars including the bar at the Hilton in Livingston, so he knew bars, he knew people and he knew a bit about cellarwork.”

Back in the early 2010s, Mike says money was tight and the couple were exploring some other options when an entrepreneurial brother-in-law who was active in property first flagged the Hillend Tavern up to the pair.

“Initially the plan was that he would buy it and we would run it,” recalls Mike. “But eventually he just told us that he thought we could buy it ourselves.”

The pair visited the pub and were immediately smitten. “As soon as we walked in we just instantly said ‘This is the one’,” says Mike. “In fact, I liked it so much that I decided, even if we didn’t get it, I’d start using this as my local – and we lived miles away in Dunfermline!”

Fortunately, they did get it and in April 2018, the couple became the proud owners of the Hillend Tavern.

NEW ERA

“On day one I was like a deer in the headlights,” laughs Francesca. “But we knew very quickly that we had done the right thing. We just brought some life to the pub and treated our staff well. Up until then they hadn’t been allowed to accept tips, so we changed small things like that and instantly the atmosphere changed.”

It turns out that the previous licensee hadn’t particularly enjoyed running a declining pub and hadn’t hidden the fact to his customers.

The pub sits on what used to be the main road between Fife and Edinburgh and enjoyed huge passing trade –before a bypass was built. Then the smoking ban came in and the pub went into a slow but steady decline.

Bizarrely, the pub used to also house a sub post-office but even that went when Dalgety Bay boomed as a town and a main branch Post Office was built. The previous owner had clearly reached the end of his tether.

“The biggest compliment I was ever paid by a customer after we took the pub on was that ‘we had put a smile back behind the bar’,” beams Mike. “That has stuck with me to this day because that sums up exactly what we were trying to do.”

From day one, then, the Hillend Tavern was rejuvenated, and both footfall and sales began to pick up immediately.

“The first thing we did was fully refit both sets of toilets as well as laying new carpets, updating the furniture and wall coverings and so on, but we tried as much as possible to retain the essence of the nearly 200year history of the pub,” says Francesca. “We’re also a very dog-friendly pub and that’s important to a lot of customers.”

“We were with Heineken for the first year,” adds Mike. “But we were naïve and new to the trade so we cancelled that as quick as we could, spoke to all the other brewers, and our clear favourite was Belhaven. It’s a people thing for me, as much as anything else. Our rep Simeon is a mate as much as anything else these days and they’re just great to work with.”

REAL DEAL

What transformed the pub’s fortunes, however, was bringing in cask ales. “We had a few customers asking for them and I’d had some experience of working with them in the past,” says Mike. “So we decided to give it a go. We introduced one single, solitary pump – Greene King IPA – and within six months we had to add a second. We’re now up to four and, I’m proud to say, real ale is our biggest-selling product category, bar none.”

The pub’s house real ale is Yardbird and the other three pumps rotate to offer a changing selection from across Scotland and the rest of the UK. “We switch them up as our real ale drinkers like trying different ales,” Mike says.

What started as a small trial has turned out to be stroke of minor genius. For a small pub in a reasonably remote location, Mike and Francesca uncovered the perfect footfall driver: cask ales.

“We also have Belhaven Saltire lager and Belhaven Best which both sell well, but cask ales have become our USP,” says Mike. “And we were absolutely over the moon to be recently named CAMRA Pub of the Year for

Scotland and Northern Ireland! To be fair, we have had huge success in the CAMRA awards, winning Fife Pub of the Year in five of the last six years and we came second in the National CAMRA Scotland and Northern Ireland National Pub of the Year competition in 2018. But to finally win the top award is so sweet!

“These days we get people coming from all around the local area because of the awards and we get them from far further afield. We’ve even had people coming all the way from England just to visit the pub because of the cask ales. That’s only going to grow now that we’re the best pub in Scotland.

“But we’ve earned it, I think. We work hard at cask. It’s a live product, it needs a little extra love and care, but if you get it right, you get your rewards. Only this weekend we had a bunch of guys come over from Edinburgh on the train and spend the whole day in the pub trying our cask range. It’s a real footfall-driver, that’s for sure.”

PANDEMIC PROBLEMS

Like everyone else, Francesca and Mike found the pandemic years “traumatic”. “It was awful,” admits

“WE HAVE DOUBLED THE TURNOVER SINCE WE FIRST TOOK OVER AND TAKINGS FOR THE LAST VAT QUARTER, FOR INSTANCE, WERE UP £25K YEARON-YEAR.”

FRANCESCA HENDERSON

Francesca. “Truly awful. But we had to just do what we could. We furloughed our staff and topped them up to 100% so they didn’t lose out and we just used the enforced downtime to do what we could to the pub.”

This involved painting, cleaning, and polishing everything to “within an inch of its life,” extending the smoking area, refitting the cellar, and the addition of a 4m x 4m gazebo and more tables and chairs.

Mike takes the story up: “We had long wanted to do it, but we couldn’t without disrupting service, losing sales

and upsetting customers, so Covid gave us the chance. We’re seeing the benefit now though.”

When the doors reopened, it was a “Baltic” day and Mike and Francesca were unsure if anyone would actually turn up, but turn up they did – and in droves. “That day made me suddenly realise just how important a pub is to the fabric of a local community, just how critical it is in bringing people together,” says Mike. “Pubs are a fundamental part of our history as a country and on that day, I really understood that for the first time.”

That’s also why the pub actively supports a range of community sporting clubs including two darts teams, Dalgety Bay Cricket Club, FC Bayside and Dalgety Bay Deaf Squash & Racketball Club.

FUTURE PROOF

As for the future, the world is beginning to look rosy again. “We have challenges, of course,” says Francesca. “The energy bills are really starting to bite and the cost of everything is going up, but we’re doing well, really well. We have doubled the turnover since we first took over and takings for the last VAT quarter, for instance, were up £25k year-on-year. And we’ve got plenty going on this summer to keep that momentum going.”

As a community hub, the pub hosts fortnightly quizzes, karaoke nights, live music, a local darts team, BT Sports, poker nights and more.

“We’ve been doing pub quizzes for over 11 years,” says Mike, “and they’re so busy that there’s a waiting list. We can fit in 11 teams of four and we leave some space for the regulars, but the quizzes always over-subscribed.”

However, it’s the staff at the Hillend Tavern that both Mike and Francesca want to end on. “They are beyond fantastic, our team,” concludes Francesca. “Most of them have been with us for years and we can’t praise them enough. I’ve moved into doing more back-office work over the last while and Mike only does a couple of shifts behind the bar each week. We trained them to run this place themselves and they’ve taken that challenge and run with it. They’ve effectively been running the pub and we’ve just been named CAMRA Pub of the Year, so the credit is due to them as much as to us. They’re fantastic and in this industry you can’t achieve much without a great team behind you.”

Black in front

Belhaven Black is being given a new look to help the number one Scottish stout capitalise on the huge growth of the category and to help continue its expansion across Scotland and England.

With its rich, dark body and creamy head, stout has long offered drinkers something a little different. The first recorded appearance of stout beer was way back in 1677 and it has remained a firm favourite with drinkers from that day until this. In recent times however, the category has seen a remarkable surge in interest among drinkers and it is, in fact, the fastest-growing segment within beer and is winning share from both ale and lager.

Stout has seen its value grow by a huge 55% compared to a year ago according to CGA OPMS data to February 2023, with growth primarily fuelled by new audiences of younger adult drinkers who are seeking out beers that offer greater character and flavour. Belhaven research shows that these consumers also appreciate the extra creaminess, taste and mouth feel, and ease of drinking, particularly when chilled. This trend has helped stout’s share of

Phil Crowder, The Forth Inn, Aberfoyle

BACKING BLACK

“At one point, it dawned on me that the range of draught beers we had behind the bar were almost all Scottish with only a couple of exceptions: one of them was Guinness. I had tried Belhaven Black and loved it so I decided to get rid of Guinness and replace it with Black so I would be the only pub in Scotland with only Scottish draught beers on tap – a real USP in a popular tourist spot like this.

“When the Guinness rep heard he came in he literally laughed at me and said I was making a huge mistake and that he’d be back in three weeks’ time to put Guinness back in. That was years ago, and I’ve never needed to bring Guinness back.”

the total beer category climb to 8.3%, days the same CGA data.

One brand has long dominated the market and Guinness still accounts for 96.7% of the draught stout market, confirms CGA – but the spike in interest in stout presents a fantastic opportunity for other brewers.

Indeed, you will have seen several

BELHAVEN’S BREWING HERITAGE

Belhaven Brewery has a rich heritage in brewing stout, having started producing stouts and porter in the mid-1800s.

The turning point was 1950, with awards from the UK and abroad for Belhaven #1 stout, Heavy Stout and Belhaven Sweet Stout. Then followed Trinidad Stout.

Today, Scotland’s favourite stout is still brewed using malted barley, local water and Belhaven yeast, to create a rich, smooth, and creamy stout with a hint of sweet chocolate and a roasted malt finish.

BELHAVEN BLACK REBRAND

TASTE TEST

A recent survey of new stout drinkers by the Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation revealed that:

There was almost no statistical difference between Guinness and Belhaven Black when it came to likelihood to purchase, with Guinness at 62% & Belhaven at 60%.

Belhaven scored ahead on flavour and strength, when looking at Just About Right scores (JAR).

The top two boxes combined for Overall Liking put Belhaven ahead at 36% (v Guinness at 34%).

The survey also found that there was little to separate either on colour and, less on aroma. In addition, 52% of Guinness regulars said they would buy Belhaven Black.

Of those interested in trying stout, 49% had an overall liking for Belhaven Black vs Guinness at 45%.

brewers attempting to cash in on the stout opportunity with a number of new brands hitting the market in recent times. None, however, can claim the history, tradition, credentials and taste profile of Belhaven Black Scottish Stout, the number-one-selling Scottish stout.

Established in 1719, Belhaven Brewery’s unrivalled brewing heritage and expertise truly sets the brand apart – and now, with a bold new look set to launch this summer, Belhaven Black’s star seems set to shine even brighter.

Crafted using pure Scottish water and a unique blend of triple malts sourced from locally grown barley, Belhaven Black is a smooth velvet Scottish stout and has long offered drinkers a premium quality pint that is bursting with roasted malt and chocolate flavours with hints of coffee.

Little surprise then, that it leads the way in Scotland, but the brand is rapidly growing south of the border too – and a new look

is being unveiled that will help accelerate that growth.

Belhaven Black is already the number two stout brand in the GB free trade and it’s growing. According to CGA data to March this year, volumes are up a staggering 120% year-on-year while sales by value are up an even more impressive 144%.

While coming from a smaller base, Belhaven Black is actually growing at four times the rate of Guinness, which saw its volumes rise by 30% and value by 35% year-on-year.

It’s easy to see why, as Belhaven Black routinely scores favourably when it comes to taste and aroma with stout drinkers, and delivers a superb quality liquid as well as far better value: the national average free trade price of Belhaven Black is just £3.73 a pint, compared to Guinness at £4.14.

This price competitiveness has never

“STOUT HAS SEEN ITS VALUE GROW BY 55% WITH GROWTH PRIMARILY BEING FUELLED BY NEW AUDIENCES OF YOUNGER ADULT DRINKERS SEEKING OUT BEERS THAT OFFER GREATER CHARACTER AND FLAVOUR.”

Paul Poppy, Sailors Home, Kessingland

“We first got Belhaven Black in about seven or eight years ago and we brought it in as an alternative to Guinness. We removed draught Guinness at the same time but Black proved so popular from day one that we still have it behind the bar and it sells really, really well.

“A lot of new customers do come in and ask for Guinness but virtually everyone will take Black as an alternative if we suggest it and, in my experience, once they have tried it they stick with it.

“The pricing is better than Guinness and that has always been a strong selling point but in recent times with the pressure on customers’ budgets, it’s more important than ever. We’ve never looked back.”

BRAND ADVOCACY PROGRAMME

Belhaven Black is offering new installs the chance to win a £50 reward as part of its ‘mystery drinker’ campaign.

All you have to do to claim your £50 reward is:

Site the POS, which includes a QR code for a short video, at the back of house

Ask your team to scan the code and learn about the beer from the video.

Recommend the brand to customers who ask

Offer your customers a small sample (free keg provided on install)

Execute the ‘perfect serve’ of each pint using a cool, clean, branded glass

When the brand’s ‘mystery drinker’ visits in the first eight weeks of install they will ask “what do you recommend?”

If one of your staff talks about Belhaven Black, offers a sample and then executes the ‘perfect serve’ they will be given a £50 reward!

STOUT SUPPORT

A wealth of support is available including:

Installation kit

Branded tap handle and font

Glassware

Drip mats

Bar runners

POS

Perfect Serve training

Free 17:19 kits, including t-shirts, tent cards, posters and drip mats are also available to help the trade make the most of the early evening stout opportunity. With Belhaven Brewery having been established in 1719, the brand believes that 17:19 is the perfect time for a pint.

been more important as drinkers face more pressure than ever on their budgets.

A recent survey of new stout drinkers by the Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation revealed that Guinness and Belhaven Black were on a par when it came to likelihood to purchase and when trying stout for the first time preferred Black. Affitionally, 52% of Guinness regulars said they would buy Belhaven Black.

And now, with a revamped look about to land, Belhaven Black has everything to significantly grow its share across GB.

The new branding will roll out from this Autumn and the new branding will feature on bespoke glassware (available from October), tap handles and fonts to a wide range of supporting POS. The new look encompasses Belhaven’s famous malting chimneys that have been part of the brewery since 1719 and the swirling energy bursting from the chimneys nods to the depth and drama of the liquid when it is poured into the glass.

The new colours reflect the chocolate and coffee notes present in both the aroma and flavour of this Smooth Velvet Scottish Stout at 4.2% ABV.

So get set, because this summer, Black is most definitely back.

BOTTLED BEAUTY

Belhaven also offers an award-winning Scottish Oat Stoat, officially the World’s Best Oat Stout, available in premium 330ml glass bottles. Made using a complex mash including roasted barley and oats along with 3 types of malt, the brand offers a dark, rich and layered stout with plenty of black coffee and dark chocolate notes.

Belhaven Brewery Scottish Oat Stout 330ml bottles claimed accolades at both the 2022 and 2021 World Beer Awards along with a Monde Selection Gold Award in 2023 and 2022.

Get ready for the Rugby World Cup!

Rugby World Cup

8th Sep – 28th

The Rugby World Cup offers back-to-back opportunities for venues to grow sales and profits over a 51 day period as all four Home Nations compete for the most important trophy of them all.

As the pinnacle of international rugby, the Rugby World Cup 2023 will take place in France from 8 September to 28 October 2023 with matches played by 20 teams in nine venues across 10 host cities.

The tournament will be the 10th men’s Rugby World Cup and the second to be hosted by France after a memorable event in 2007. To add some extra poignancy, it will take place in a year when the sport celebrates 200 years since Rugby School pupil William Webb Ellis was credited with inventing the game of rugby football by showing “a fine disregard for the rules” in catching the ball and running with it in 1823.

For venues across the home nations, it represents an enormous opportunity to grow footfall, sales and profits with England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland all securing a place at this year’s showcase global tournament. With a total of 48 matches played across 51 days, the tournament presents back-to-back

opportunities for venues to cash in and deliver winning performances in the run up to the all-important festive period.

SPORT SELLS

For an indication of how important topclass sport can be to sales, it’s worth looking back at the much smaller Six Nations tournament. According to data from CGA by NIQ, venues that showed live matches generated 28% more sales on matchdays than on the average equivalent day—double the 14% increase seen at non-sports venues. On the tournament’s opening weekend alone, total drinks sales in sports venues increased by an astonishing 38%.

The categories to benefit most were stout (up 85%), cask ales, world lager and cider while soft drinks also saw a spike of 15%, spirits were up 24% and wine grew by 15% across all matchdays.

CGA client director Paul Bolton

commented: “The Six Nations was a reminder of the power of big sporting occasions to loosen people’s spending and encourage brand trial and loyalty.”

PICKING WINNERS

With endless opportunities for heroics and intrigue on the pitch during the Rugby World Cup come extensive opportunities for boosting sales and profits – and it will pay to focus you and your team’s efforts on the products most likely to drive your business forward.

Fortunately, Greene King and Belhaven’s extensive portfolio of top-quality products and their long-standing and very deep links with rugby offers you the perfect platform to build on.

Premium British ale has long enjoyed a harmonious and mutually beneficial relationship with rugby and Greene King IPA is the perfect example. The brand was the Official Beer of England Rugby

Rugby World Cup 2023 Home Nations Fixtures

Round 1

Sat 9th Sep

England v Argentina, 8pm

Sun 10th Sep

South Africa v Scotland, 4.45pm

Wales v Fiji, 8pm

Sat 16th Sep

Ireland v Tonga, 8pm

Sun 17th Sep

England v Japan, 8pm

Sat 23rd Sep

England v Chile, 4.45pm

South Africa v Ireland, 8pm

Sun 24th Sep

Scotland v Tonga, 4.45pm

Wales v Australia, 8pm

Sat 30th Sep

Scotland v Romania, 8pm

for eight consecutive years as well as being the title sponsor of the English Championship for eight years.

That high-profile relationship with highlevel rugby continues to this day through Greene King IPA’s official partnership with three Premiership clubs: Saracens, Newcastle and Gloucester.

Greene King IPA also supports grassroots rugby through its ground-breaking Proud To Pitch In initiative, as well as counting over 100 rugby clubs as Free Trade customers.

At 3.6% ABV, it’s the perfect session beer for your customers to enjoy during the Rugby World Cup – so make sure you keep it prominent in-venue in the coming months. To help you do just that, venues are currently being offered a free ‘Watch Rugby Here’ POS kit when they buy just 2x9G casks of Greene King IPA which will ensure that the brand is unmissable during the Rugby World Cup and help

Sat 7th Oct

Wales v Georgia, 2pm

England v Samoa, 4.45pm

Ireland v Scotland, 8pm

Rugby World Cup 2023

Key Fixtures

Opening Match

Fri 8th Sep

France v New Zealand, 8.15pm

Quarter Finals

Sat 14th & Sun 15th Oct (4pm and 8pm)

Semi Finals

Fri 20th and Sat 21st Oct (8pm)

Final Sat 28th Oct (8pm)

SPORT MEANS SPEND….

According to Ipsos data from Jun 2022, 57% of pub-going sport viewers spend more when watching sport than when not.

ACCORDING TO BT SPORT:

85%of sports fans spend more on drinks when watching live sport

76%would stop going to their local if they stopped showing live sport

92%of sports fans said that showing live sport during the week positively influences their visit frequency to a pub.

add theatre to drive interest and excitement around the tournament. See page 66 for more information.

Similarly, the recently refreshed Belhaven Best has enjoyed a lengthy involvement with rugby and is a firm favourite of many drinkers when it comes to spending a few hours in the pub watching the match.

With stout performing so well during the Six Nations, it could be the perfect time to add the fantastic quality, great-tasting and competitively priced Belhaven Black Stout to your offer. Following a recent brand refresh, Belhaven Black Stout offers a great way to tap into a growing demand for stout and one which is likely to be accelerated even further during the Rugby World Cup.

SCREEN TIME

Making the most of the Rugby World Cup relies, of course, on optimising your sports TV subscriptions in every way that you can. Greene King and Belhaven can help save up to 50% on your sports TV subscriptions which is step one in getting the best out of live sport.

But with a subscription in place, the next step is to avoid simply sticking a TV on in the corner and hoping people come in.

other pubs showing live sports, it’s getting sports fans off their sofa at home,” according to Fanzo, the leading app that helps fans find venues showing live sports in their local area.

To do that, simply get hold of the full list of fixtures for the Rugby World Cup at the official website – rugbyworldcup.com –and highlight the fixtures most likely to draw a crowd. With all of the Home Nations represented, you won’t be short of mouthwatering clashes while fixtures featuring teams like New Zealand and South Africa are also likely to prove popular.

With 48 fixtures during the tournament over 51 days, it’s vital you tell people about them,

FREE ‘WATCH RUGBY HERE’ POS

KIT!

To help drive excitement around the Rugby World Cup, Greene King IPA and Belhaven Best are offering great quality POS kits to help you make the most of the global sporting event. Turn to p66 for more information or speak to your local Sales Development Manager for more information.

both existing and potential customers. In the past, you might have placed a chalkboard listing the games outside your bar but these days you’re far more likely to drive new footfall by reaching customers on their mobile phone. So it makes sense to list your fixtures on social media.

Then, when matchdays come, it’s time to deliver a quality experience. Flatscreen TVs and dropdown projectors are more affordable than ever so it’s cheaper now than ever before to offer the sort of highquality experience that will get customers off the sofa, away from their own TV and their cans of beer, to come to the pub for great quality pint and an immersive, social experience. The key to winning this battle is to offer a superior experience to the one customers can get at home.

It’s wise to leave the commentary on and to consider zoning your venue to separate the rugby fans from the rest of your customers. You could also consider table bookings for part of your venue, insisting that customers claim their table at least 30 minutes before kick-off to avoid no-shows.

Whatever way you look at it, the Rugby World Cup offers endless chances to win over the next couple of months. Speak to your Greene King or Belhaven SDM to find out how they can help.

THE CASK ALE WITH THE HIGHEST RATE

Be confident in stocking a full range of Greene

If any Greene King cask ales – broached or un-broached – go out of date, you can claim a full refund

for remaining volume on broached casks3. For more information speak to your Sales

AVAILABLEOctober

AVAILABLE

September & October

Style: Golden Ale

Colour: Gold ABV: 4%

A refreshing golden ale with citrus, soft tropical fruit and fresh dry hop characters. Pale malt gives a clean easy drinking body. The perfect pint for the Rugby.

Style: Premium Ale

Colour: Ebony

An easy drinking beer with warming to ee character and a touch of orange peel citrus and spiciness.

Style: Pale Ale

Colour: Copper

ABV: 4.5% A Halloween dressing for Old Speckled Hen. Auburn and copper on eye; malty, to ee notes the nose; and then a further lovely helping malt in the taste.

1.

Tuesday this year means there’s a fantastic opportunity to give your sales and profits a spooky boost on a traditionally quiet night.

According to CGA data, sales on Halloween day itself last year were up 9% on 2019 levels, the last comparable year before the pandemic kicked in. Sales were also up when compared to the two days that immediately preceded Halloween day.

The same study found that Halloween 2022 also brought more people out to venues,

Halloween, rapidly followed by Bonfire Night, also marks the unofficial start of the countdown to the critical festive season. Making the most of Halloween, then, is a fantastic way to get a profit-laden few months underway on the right foot.

MONSTER SALES

To help venues do precisely

9% Increase in total sales v 2019 levels

Available throughout October, Gangly Ghoul Premium Bitter is an easydrinking brew at 4.2% ABV and delivers warm toffee notes on the palate with a touch of orange peel citrus and spicy finishing tones. In other words, it’s the perfect drop to appeal to customers who think they might not like cask ale,

Promotion available for deliveries between 31st August and 25th October 2023. Deal applies to any product shown stock permanently. 9G rkins and 4.5G pins cannot be mixed – the 6 casks must be the same size. Stock can be taken per brand per customer per week. Maximum of 5 deals per customer. Cheapest item free. Cannot be used in conjunction while stocks last.

2. CGA OPM data to P02 2023. 3. Excludes 4.5G pins. Cask Iron Guarantee

terms and conditions at

as well as for the connoisseurs who will drink nothing else.

Gangly Ghoul features a brand-new pump clip complete with a spooky green ghoul, helping to drive trial among your customers and add a little fun into the celebration.

The second Halloween-themed ale available in October is a quirky and light-hearted makeover of the classic Old Speckled Hen. Named Old Spooky Hen, the limited-edition ale was first rolled out in 2016 and has been hugely successful ever since.

Old Spooky Hen comes complete with an attention-grabbing ghoulish pump

clip, and a full POS kit is also available. It has proven itself particularly popular with a younger audience, again giving venues the chance to entice new drinkers into the cask ale category.

Both beers are available in smaller 4.5G Pins format, allowing you to ensure that you eliminate wastage and serve ales that are fresh and in tip-top condition, risk-free.

CASK IRON GUARANTEE

Don’t forget too that all 9G Firkins of Greene King and and Belhaven Cask Ales

are covered by the Cask Iron Guarantee which means that if any cask ales you buy from Greene King or Belhaven don’t sell through, you’ll get your money back. You can claim a full refund on unbroached casks as well as claim credit for any remaining volume on broached casks.

So, the scene is set for a bumper Halloween and a flying start to the increasingly long festive season.

ORDER A 9G FIRKIN OR TWO 4.5G PINS OF OLD SPECKLED HEN TO RECEIVE A FREE OLD SPOOKY HEN PUMP CLIP PLUS HALLOWEEN COMPETITION POS KIT

SPOOKY PRIZES TO BE WON INCLUDING HAUNTED HOUSE SLEEPOVERS

KIT CONTENTS:

OLD SPOOKY HEN PUMP CLIP AND CARD,

HALLOWEEN A BRIEF HISTORY

Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).

In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honour all saints and All Saints Day was born, incorporating some of the traditions of Samhain.

The day before became known as All Hallows Eve, before evolving to become known as Halloween.

The Celts believed the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred on that night and that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.

15% YOY increase in Halloween beer sales in 2022

GET IN THE SPIRIT!

19% YOY increase in Halloween cider sales in 2022

To make the most of the Halloween opportunity, you can get in the spirit with some simple ideas. Planning for the occasion doesn’t need to be overly complicated and with just a bit of preparation and creativity, your venue can become the go-to destination for a great ghoulish night out.

HALLOWEEN QUIZ

Everyone loves a pub quiz – and to make it super easy for you, Old Spooky Hen has provided some themed questions on a quiz sheet which you’ll find inserted into this issue of Value for Venues. Simply have the quiz sheet handy and you can do a quick, fun quiz with minimal effort.

Or, if you want to take it to the next level, you can stock Old Speckled Hen and gain access to a special ‘reward your curiosity’ quiz website where you can download a range of quiz questions, picture rounds and answer sheets, as well as order bespoke customised POS to advertise your quiz. Speak to your Greene King or Belhaven sales representative for more details.

MONSTROUS MENU

If you serve food, why not create a Halloween-themed menu, making liberal use of pumpkins, red food colouring, black raspberry liqueur or anything else your kitchen team can think of to create ghoulish dishes or tasty treats.

You could add some Halloween-themed dishes such as pumpkin ravioli or tongue sandwiches or just re-name your menu’s existing offerings. For example, why not opt to call spaghetti with tomato sauce ‘slimy snakes’ or chicken wings ‘bat wings’?

3 DRESS TO DISTRESS

Nothing says Halloween like staff in spooky costumes and rooms full of jacko-lanterns, cobwebs, ghoulish bats and tombstones. You don’t have to invest much to create a truly special atmosphere and you could go the whole hog and hire a fog machine to create an unforgettable Halloween vibe in your venue.

You could create a Halloween playlist too, and have some fun tunes playing in the background to add to the excitement. The Monster Mash, Thriller, I Put A Spell On You… there’s plenty to choose from!

4 FAMILY FUN

Halloween is a fantastic time for families to have fun too so creating a familyfriendly event can be a great way to unlock bigger spend in your venue. You could run child-friendly games and competitions, invest in a few balloons and sweets, and have pumpkin-carving sessions.

Meanwhile, treat the parents to a spooky cocktail party or have a local DJ or musician play to keep people in your venue as long as possible.

5 SOCIAL SCARES

One great way to drive footfall is to shout about the Halloween activity you have planned on social media. Tell everyone what’s happening, let them know you’ll be stocking Old Spooky Hen and Gangly Ghoul and encourage as many people as possible out of the house on an otherwise quiet and boring Tuesday night.

ABOUT FIONA

In this issue, we sit down with Greene King and Belhaven Category Manager for Wine, Fiona Davies, to find out how the category is evolving and continuing to present opportunities for venues to grow sales and profits.

12 bottles get 1 bottle

Meet The Team: Fiona Davies free Buy

Fiona Davies is Category Manager for Wine at Greene King and Belhaven and is responsible for managing the extensive range of wines that are available through the company.

Fiona joined Greene King from Aldi where she was a wine buyer for the retailer for five years.

Prior to that, she spent five years with Holland & Barrett where she was responsible for buying alcohol-free drinks.

Fiona has a Master’s Degree in Wine Enterprise from the University of Birmingham and has completed all three levels of the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) wine courses, earning distinctions in Levels 2 and 3 and being awarded a wine scholarship for achieving the best global score in the WSET Level 3 course.

FIONA, TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF…

I’m Fiona Davies and I’m Category Manager for Wine at Greene King and Belhaven. My entire career has been spent in the intriguing world of wine. I completed a Master’s Degree in Wine Enterprise at the University of Birmingham and have since achieved distinction in both Level 2 and Level 3 Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) wine courses and was also awarded a Wine Scholarship for Best Global Score in WSET Level 3. Prior to joining Greene King I spent five years as a wine buyer at Aldi and, prior to that, I spent five years with Holland & Barrett as an alcohol-free drinks buyer.

YOU’VE JOINED GREENE KING AT AN INTERESTING TIME?

If I’ve learned one thing in a career in wine, it’s that it’s always an interesting time for the category! Wine is such an emotive and fascinating category that’s always changing and evolving and, yes, I’ve certainly joined Greene King at a really interesting and exciting time.

WHAT EXACTLY IS YOUR ROLE?

Essentially, I’m here to help ensure that the huge range of wines we offer to our customers helps them maximise footfall, sales and profits. That can be achieved in all sorts of different ways and no two venues are the same but essentially, it’s my responsibility to ensure that Greene King offers its customers a fantastic range of great-quality wines at competitive prices.

WHAT ARE THE MAJOR CHALLENGES FACING THE WINE CATEGORY AT THE MOMENT?

Unquestionably, the two biggest challenges

we are currently facing into are the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and the duty increases which came into force last month (August 2023). Yes, these challenges will keep us on our toes, but they also present plenty of opportunities to positively influence how consumers engage with and consume wine.

HOW WILL THE DUTY INCREASES IMPACT THE INDUSTRY?

In March this year the government announced its intention to overhaul the alcohol duty system and the entire supply chain has been working ever since to get ready for the new rules which came into effect on the 1st of August. Broadly, this reform means that the higher the ABV of wine, the higher the new duty rate will be. This will impact across the supply chain and broadly speaking, most wine will see an increase of around 44p per 75cl bottle, or a 20% increase in duty paid – £2.67 vs the current £2.23. Wines with higher ABVs, above 15%, will see an increase of 97p (+44%) per bottle and fortified wines of 20% ABV and stronger will see a whopping £1.30 increase (duty of £4.28) per bottle.

IS THERE ANY GOOD NEWS?

A little. Wines with ABVs under 11.5% will be treated more favourably. A 10% ABV wine, for example, will see duty fall by 9p from the current rate of £2.14 per 75cl bottle. Additionally, the separate duty rates for still and sparkling wine are being abolished which will mean that bottles of Champagne, Prosecco and other sparkling wines will have their duty reduced by 19p, bringing it down to £2.67 in line with a still bottle of wine.

HOW IS GREENE KING RESPONDING?

We’re working with producers to lower the

ABV on certain wines but without sacrificing any of the quality or style. This will be key in ensuring that consumers aren’t forced out of the category by big price increases. Our passionate winemakers are using a variety of cutting-edge methods to ensure that any changes to ABV will be fully in line with Greene King’s high standards. Similarly, we are enhancing our range of wines to ensure that we take advantage of the new duty rates on lower ABV wines and sparkling wines.

HOW IS THE CATEGORY PERFORMING?

Despite UK still wine volumes reducing over the last five years, the regular wine drinking population has increased. People are regularly drinking wine in the on-trade but they are choosing to drink in moderation. Importantly, however, the higher-spending, more adventurous wine segment has grown, and these consumers are spending more on quality and premiumisation, which is why market value has remained stable post-Covid, and versus three years ago. The biggest falls in volume have come in the lowest price bands.

WHAT DOES TODAY’S WINE DRINKER LOOK LIKE?

Today’s wine drinkers are more involved with the category. Generation Treaters are on the rise and bargain-driven customers are on the decline. But those new customers often lack knowledge so it’s vital that we and the venues we serve do all that we can to offer support and knowledge and help them make great choices. Speak to your SDM about how we can help with producing more detailed wine menus, staff training and other educational support. The more knowledgeable your team, the more likely they are to be able to steer customers towards wines they’ll love.

SPICE UP YOUR SALES THIS WINTER

PLACE YOUR ORDER FOR LIMITED EDITION THATCHERS SPICED APPLE NOW. ONLY AVAILABLE ON THE THATCHERS FUSION FONT.

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Wombourne on its credit card bill

saves £2,500

Wombourne Cricket, Tennis & Bowling Club in Wolverhampton saved £2,500 on its credit card processing fees with the help of Greene King’s Money Maker programme.

Every penny you save on running costs is a penny that helps your business thrive, which explains why Steve Scott of Wombourne Cricket, Tennis & Bowling Club in Wolverhampton was so pleased to save over £2,500 on his annual credit card processing bill with Greene King.

The Club has around 2,000 members, and Steve tells Value for Venues: “While the sports side of the club is fundamentally important to us and is doing really well, the social side of the club is also thriving.”

This meant Wombourne was experiencing big growth in contactless and card transactions.

During a conversation with his Greene King contact Paul Brindley, Steve became aware of the Money Maker scheme, which helps reduce running costs for venues.

Steve takes up the story: “Paul introduced us to

World Pay and we quickly began looking into whether there would be a benefit to swapping our card machines and card transactions over to World Pay.

“I have to say I was very impressed because the contact from World Pay was instant. It only took three or four weeks for them to analyse and understand our requirements then draw up a contract. Within another three or four weeks the card machines were installed and active. Everything was done on FaceTime, even the activation!

“Best of all, we’re seeing an annual saving of around £2,500 and we have had absolutely no issues with the equipment since installation, and thankfully have not had to call World Pay’s support for any problems.”

Steve has been so impressed with Money Maker that he is now working with Paul to see if he can make more savings on his waste services.

WHERE CAN WE HELP YOU SAVE?

TV subscriptions

In-venue games costs

Insurance

Payment & card services

Waste & recycling collections

LPG

MONEY MAKER: WHO DO WE WORK WITH?

SWR

World Pay

Calor

Regal Gaming

Jensten Insurance

Viaplay

Sky Sports (in partnership with Molson Coors)

TNT Sports (in partnership with ABInbev/BBG)

Back in the hunt

Built in the 16th century as a traditional coaching inn, the Fox and Hounds is a classic rural English pub that has served the picturesque village of Steeple Bumpstead for centuries, offering a warm welcome, a roaring open fire and an outstanding selection of cask-conditioned ales, quality wines and premium spirits, as well as fantastic home-cooked fresh food.

Despite its inspiring history, the pub had been allowed to slip into disrepair and was badly in need of a lot of work. That is, however, until publican Kate Irwin acquired it around four years ago.

it could work.”

£10,000 Support package

Like so many venue operators, however, Kate’s plans were thrown into disarray by the Covid-19 outbreak. “Just six months after I bought it, the pandemic got underway. Fortunately, I had realised that something was coming so I had started doing takeaway food only a matter of days before the first lockdown was announced. That helped us survive and we were doing over 150 takeaways each weekend. That let me keep all of my staff and keep them in jobs.”

“It was in a pretty sorry state when I took it over,” says Kate. “But I could see the potential and it truly is a beautiful building in a very pretty village on the border between Essex and Sussex. It gets lots of passing trade as well as being well used by the locals, so I knew

When the pandemic finally subsided, Kate was hit by another bombshell when her chef left.

“I’m not a chef,” laughs Kate, “but the food side was important, so I decided to take over the kitchen myself and it was a huge success!

Financial support from Greene King helped publican Kate Irwin revitalise her historic 16th century coaching inn located in the beautiful village of Steeple Bumpstead.

Our roast dinners were renowned in the area and we were drawing customers from miles away.”

In the end, however, it all got too much for Kate and she accepted that she couldn’t keep working at that level of intensity, so she made the decision to stop the foodservice side of the business and return to the pub’s historic wet-led tradition.

“Surprisingly, we got even busier!” says Kate. “In April this year decided to reintroduce food on a limited scale: breakfasts at the weekend and lunches Monday to Saturday. It’s gone so well that I’m looking to re-introduce roasts later in the year, but only once a month.”

In the midst of this regeneration project Kate realised she needed to make more of the outside spaces available to her. “This was just after Covid and it was really hard to find suppliers for commercial garden furniture, so I just bought some glass topped metal tables

and they were alright, but they weren’t what I really needed. I mentioned it to my SDM and he said Greene King could help.

“Within two weeks I had £10,000 to spend and I was able to buy new furniture for the front and back of the pub as well as convert an old barn into a proper games room. It really helped accelerate the transformation of the business. Footfall and sales grew immediately and while I haven’t yet calculated exactly how long it will take to make the £10,000 back, I know it won’t be very long at all!

“This is a really special pub and I’m so pleased to be able to revitalise it and put it back where it belongs at the heart of our community. There’s no question that Greene King’s financial support has played a significant role in helping me achieve that.”

If you’re interested in learning more, please speak to your local Sales Development Manager, to discuss our financial support services.

“WITHIN TWO WEEKS I HAD £10,000 TO SPEND AND I WAS ABLE TO BUY NEW FURNITURE FOR THE FRONT AND BACK OF THE PUB AS WELL AS CONVERT AN OLD BARN INTO A PROPER GAMES ROOM.”

KATE IRWIN, THE FOX & HOUNDS

Autumn flavours

As we head into the autumn months, why not spice up your range and your sales with some new fruit and spice products?

THATCHERS SPICED APPLE DRAUGHT

Add some spice to your bar with new Limited Edition Thatchers Spiced Apple Infused Cider on draught. The 4.0% ABV product features a tempting combination of juicy apple and warming spices, perfect for the cooler autumn evenings and ideal for Halloween. The product also features an eye-catching font that will help to drive trial.

WARNERS SPICED BLACKBERRY GIN 70CL

Flavoured gin remains a customer favourite and as we head into the cooler months, why not tempt your customers with a warming spiced gin bursting with berries, spice and everything nice? Warners Spiced Blackberry Gin is a 40% ABV gin made using real blackberry juice and sloe berries to deliver a rich and fruity flavour balanced perfectly with a subtle hint of spice.

KOPPARBERG SPICED BLACKBERRY 500ML

The UK’s leading flavoured cider brand is helping venues gear up for the autumn and winter months with the launch of Kopparberg Spiced Blackberry, a 4% ABV apple cider with a taste of blackberry and cinnamon. Suitable for vegans, it can be served chilled or can be warmed up to create a comforting, delicious autumn cider that offers a modern alternative to mulled wine.

Proud To Pitch In smashes £500k funding milestone

PROUD TO PITCH IN

Over 200 local sports clubs supported

Over £500,000 awarded to clubs

Over £1m to be awarded before the end of 2023

Greene King’s ground-breaking scheme to raise much needed funds for grassroots sports clubs across the UK has smashed through the £500,000 in grants barrier.

Launched in 2021, the Greene King IPA Proud To Pitch In scheme has so far supported over 200 grassroots clubs, positively impacting an estimated 50,000 people. The grants provide critical funding to ensure communities can continue to play the sports they love.

The initiative is funded by donations from pints and packs of Greene King IPA sold across the UK.

Funding from Proud to Pitch In has helped clubs in countless ways including purchasing equipment, funding improvements for clubs’ facilities and funding formal coaching qualifications to help clubs provide that next step in development.

In today’s financial climate, clubs have also requested grants to support pitch hire, ensuring they have a consistent and secure place to meet.

The Greene King IPA Proud to Pitch In scheme invites sports clubs across the UK to apply for funding of up to £4,000 for projects that

will help the club continue to thrive or grow.

Emma Hibbert, Head of Marketing for Greene King IPA, said: “We are thrilled to celebrate that half a million pounds has been shared and reached so many clubs. It’s amazing to see the impact we can make to each one of those clubs we’ve supported and how small projects can make a big difference.

“It’s more important than ever that we keep clubs funded – to help maintain and improve social, mental, and physical wellbeing. So, we aren’t stopping at just £500k, as we have the ambition to give away one million pounds to clubs by the end of next year.

“We encourage any outlet that is looking to support sports and their communities to choose Greene King IPA, as it’s a great beer, making a great difference. With no extra charge to the outlet, 10p of every pint of Greene King IPA sold will go towards funding the scheme and supporting clubs across the UK.”

TO APPLY FOR GRANTS OF UP TO £4,000 OR NOMINATE A CLUB, SIMPLY VISIT GREENEKING-PUBS.CO.UK/ PROUD-TO-PITCH-IN

Greene King IPA’s Proud to Pitch In initiative has passed half a million pounds in grants for grassroots sports clubs across the UK.

GREENE KING IPA

There’s nothing

QUITE LIKE CASK…

Cask ale is Britain’s unofficial national drink with a centuries-old heritage and a loyal fanbase and with Cask Ale Week on the horizon, it could be the perfect time to shine a spotlight on the wonderful world of cask ales in your venue.

Cask ale has long been a passion of mine. In fact, it’s long been my main passion, ever since I completed a Master’s Degree in brewing and distilling at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh before beginning my career and working for a range of companies like Heineken, Buxton Brewery, Molson Coors and Guinness.

That experience let me see inside a lot of breweries and, as everyone does things a little differently, you learn a lot along the way, stuff that you don’t find in textbooks.

I brought all of that experience, and an enthusiastic passion for cask ales, when I joined Greene King as Head Brewer.

Most of you will know that Greene King’s reputation in cask ales is second to none, thanks to a centuries-old tradition in producing some of Britain’s most popular and biggest-selling cask ales.

Cask ale has always been and remains to this day a fundamental part of the experience of visiting a venue for a lot of people. Cask is often referred to as Britain’s unofficial national drink and for good reason. It’s the quintessential British alcoholic beverage and we are working hard to ensure that it remains a relevant, vital product long into the future.

One way we are helping to do this is with our exciting range of Limited-Edition Fresh Cask Releases range, a rolling programme of seasonal cask ales that perfectly complements our popular permanent range.

As well as creating these ales ourselves, we are also working with smaller, independent breweries in inspiring projects to create fresh, new products. The introduction of smaller 4.5-gallon Cask Pins has also helped make cask more accessible and profitable than ever, while our Cask Iron Guarantee ensures that you will never lose money on any 9G firkins of cask ale you buy from Greene King.

With Cask Ale Week on the horizon, I would challenge everyone to take a fresh look at cask and exploit the opportunity to grow sales among existing cask fans but also to bring new customers into the category, particularly those in the younger demographic.

Cask ale is a unique drink, and it has a history and tradition that very few other products can match. We know that today’s consumers are seeking authenticity, a backstory and a deeper engagement with the products they consume – cask ale provides all of that and more.

Isn’t it time you made more of cask?

Greene King Head Brewer Jack Palmer discusses all things cask ale and highlights some great opportunities to drive sales and introduce new customers to this vital category.

PASSES £500K FUNDING MILESTONE!

IPA’s Proud To Pitch In initiative has recently passed half a million pounds in grants for grassroots clubs across the UK.

Launched in 2021, the IPA Proud To Pitch In scheme has so far supported over 200 grassroots clubs, with an estimate of over 50,000 people impacted, with much needed funding to ensure communities can continue to play the sports they love. The initiative is funded by donations from pints and packs of Greene King IPA sold across the UK.

The IPA Proud to Pitch In scheme, invites sports clubs across the UK to apply for funding of up to £4,000 for projects that will help the club continue to thrive and grow.

Emma Hibbert, Head of Marketing for IPA said: “It’s amazing to see the impact we can make to each one of those clubs we’ve supported. So, we aren’t stopping at just £500k, as we have the ambition to give away one million pounds to clubs by the end of next year.

“We encourage any outlet that is looking to support sports and their communities to choose Greene King IPA. With no extra charge to the outlet, 10p of every pint of Greene King IPA sold will go towards funding the scheme across the UK.”

KEEN TO PITCH IN?

If you’d like to become a part of supporting grassroots sport, we’d love you to help us reach our target to give away £1m to clubs by the end of 2024. Talk to your Sales Development Manager about how to play your part.