Camerons, the Hartlepool-based brewer and pub operator, plans a major pub acquisition programme to grow its estate three-fold to c200 sites over the next three years, with expansion focused on a new modern beer-led pub brand, M&C Report has learnt.
It comes as the company unveils a new corporate identity, which is set to be rolled out to its 67-strong pub estate during the rest of the year, marketing manager Yousef Doubooni told M&C Report.
“We’re on the acquisitions trail again. We are going to be looking to get new outlets to support this new brand identity,” he said. “We want to grow from 67 to 200 [pubs] within the next three years.”
The company is looking to acquire cask beer-focused pubs in northern England. Doubooni said the focus would be a new managed concept known as “craft outlets”, which would be traditional “spit and sawdust” pubs with a focus on “good quality beers and good food”. Beer from local cask and craft brewers would be on sale.
Doubooni said: “We’ve identified a number of sites in a number of areas we feel will be able to support our beers and third party beers. It’s getting away from traditional keg-focused pubs and looking more at craft beer.”
He said the majority of the new sites would be run as managed outlets, saying: “We feel they would fall better in a managed business model.” Camerons currently operates just three sites as managed houses.
The launch of the new corporate identity will be accompanied by a range of new brands, Gold Bullion (4.3% ABV) and IPA (3.8% ABV). It also has a supply agreement in place to brew and distribute Castle Eden Ale, which will give Camerons a portfolio of four permanent cask ale brands.
Camerons said: “A new range of keg ales and lagers are currently being trialed and we are revising our selection of bottled ales to reflect the new brands and image.”
The new identity has seen an update to the image of the lion, with a new contemporary design that now points east, suggesting a look to the future.
Chris Soley, director and general manager at Camerons Brewery, said “We are delighted to announce the creation of a new Camerons identity and range of cask ale brands. We feel the new imagery is clean and modern whilst still maintaining the history and heritage of the brewery.
“The next few months will see some exciting new changes given the work on the corporate brand identity and new brand portfolio. 2015 will see Camerons celebrate 150 years in business. Our plan is to see Camerons brands dominate our North East heartland area but also see our products available to suppliers and customers nationwide.”
Camerons said it planned to make acquisitions at the start of this year after completing a £24.7m refinancing deal with the Royal Bank of Scotland Corporate & Institutional Banking.
