SPECIAL FEATURE OUR STRATEGY INTO ACTION

Our strategy provides us with the overarching direction and vision for Brewing & Brands; the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) translates this vision into specific operational initiatives and goals for the upcoming year.

As talked to during our B&B roadshows back in January and February, this year we have seven projects on our annual operating plan (AOP) that we will be providing updates on throughout the year. These are…

MODULAR CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT (CRM) SYSTEM

This is an opportunity to improve our systems, change processes, upskill teams and to make information more readily available to those that need it.

The impact of this project is wide ranging affecting most functions and it will help increase B&B’s profitability by a significant amount, through more profitable deals and more effective use of our assets.

PROJECT LEAD – Simon Cleary, Head of Operations

FREE TRADE REVENUE GROWTH MANAGEMENT

This is about meeting customer’s needs effectively and focusing on the four p’s of marketing – product, price, place and promotion and getting this right.

In a challenging on trade environment, we must build loyalty with our current customers which will lead to profit growth and to win more customers to ensure our logistics are working as efficiently as possible.

PROJECT LEAD – Kathryn Chabowska, Buying Lead

ON TRADE WHITE SPACE

This covers a broad spectrum but essentially is anything that we’re not currently doing, or we are doing but could be doing better that’s going to create additional profit for us.

One of the areas we are looking at is ‘gap filling’, we’re a composite route to market meaning we sell beer, cider, wine, spirits and soft drinks but many of our customers use other suppliers to buy their full range - so there is an opportunity to encourage customers to buy more from us. We’re also looking at launching crisps and snacks – we know we already sell them in our managed estate but if we focus on those customers that don’t take any wine, spirits and soft drinks from us and we convert around 20% of these customers it’s worth significant additional profit.

PROJECT LEAD – Kathryn Chabowska, Buying Lead

PREMIUM BEERS

We are looking to deliver the volume and financial targets we have in the 2025 budget.

We’ve launched new products, grown distribution in the on and off trade. Last year, we delivered 21 % volume growth, 9% brewery volume and 27% brewery profit because of how profitable these highly priced craft beers are. Our target this year is very much the same – we are looking to deliver 23% volume growth.

PROJECT LEAD – Alex Radcliffe, Marketing Lead

Estrella Galicia Growth Plan

With Estrella Galicia being a strategic partner of ours we are now into year three of a five-year plan that has seen significant growth of Estrella into the UK marketplace –spanning across the On and Off Trade.

We have a 52% growth ambition vs last year. Working with Estrella Galicia gives us a well-respected, authentic and credible brand to sell alongside our own portfolio of beers. And importantly it sits in a subcategory where we don’t have our own brand to play with.

You can support the project by learning a little bit more about the brand, talking about it with customers, friends and family and of course by driving trial.

PROJECT LEAD – Kelly Hall, Partnerships Lead

Zero Alcohol

We will be looking to upgrade and expand our portfolio of low alcohol- and alcohol-free beers. They will be searching for suitable third-party production options before we create trial brews, build commercial cases, develop branding and bring new beers to market.

We will need cross functional support from B&B and retail colleagues to achieve this. You can help by bringing any ideas or analysis and championing of these new beers with our customers.

PROJECT LEAD – David Spencer, Marketing Lead

Free Trade Optimisation

This comes down to two different areas – cost to serve and how we deliver to our free trade customers as efficiently as possible.

The second part of the optimisation is all about how we service our customers better. To successfully deliver this project both the logistics team and sales teams supports and will be working closely together to ensure we deliver the goals on time and with minimal disruption to our customers.

PROJECT LEAD – Scott Russell, Head of Sales