Breal Group has rebranded to Keystone Brewing Group as part of a commitment to ‘excellence, creativity, and progress’ in the brewing industry.

Speaking to The Grocer, Mark Williams, CEO of Breal’s brewing operations, said the business is planning to acquire more breweries as it seeks to grow annual revenues from its beer operations almost fourfold to £100m by 2028.

Williams added that 75% of Breal’s growth would initially come from acquisitions, with the remainder from expanding newly acquired businesses as well as the existing portfolio of breweries.

“Our ideal endgame here is to have a portfolio which appeals regionally across the country,” he said. “We have a list of target breweries – most of them solvent on the face of it – that we will be in discussions with over the next two to three years.

“We have an internal capacity for acquisitions but at the rate breweries are presenting themselves [to us] currently, we could buy a brewery a week and still there will be people falling by the wayside,” he said.

Williams denied the group was interested in Suffolk brewery Adnams – which drafted in City advisors earlier this year to raise new funding – but said it had held discussions with North Brewing Co prior to its sale to Kirkstall Brewery owner Vertical Drinks last month.

The rebrand also serves as a commitment to supporting and nurturing established and emerging brands within the London-based funding and advisory services group.

In October 2023, Breal and Calveton acquired bar and restaurant group D&D London in a deal valuing it at £60m including debt.

In the past year, the group has also acquired wine bar group Vinoteca, Warwickshire craft beer company Purity Brewing, North Yorkshire-based Black Sheep Brewery, London craft microbrewery Brew by Numbers, and Peckham-based Brick Brewery.

These were all acquired out of administration.

“Our model is this,” he said. “We take businesses and improve their efficiency. We acquire other businesses and bolt them on. If the business is unprofitable we return them to profit. All that profit then gets reinvested until we decide we can’t add any more value.”

Commenting on the rebrand, Williams added: “As Keystone Brewing Group, we are proud to build upon the legacy of Breal Group while embarking on an exciting new chapter of growth and innovation. 

“Our rebranding represents our unwavering commitment to excellence, creativity, and progress in the brewing industry.

“The ‘keystone’ is a central architectural element that locks an arch into place, which we see as representing a pivotal role the company plays in the brewing industry. Just as a keystone supports and sustains an arch, Keystone Brewing Group is dedicated to supporting and nurturing established and emerging brands within its portfolio.

“We remain steadfast in our dedication to delivering exceptional quality, variety and innovation to consumers in the UK and worldwide. The group is poised to continue our legacy of excellence and shape the future of the brewing industry.”