Craft Beer Co, the craft beer pub operator led by Martin Hayes, is to look at further opportunities outside London next year as it looks to double its five-strong estate over the next few years before considering its next stage of growth, M&C Report understands.
The group, which recently opened its fifth site in Clapham, has also incorporated a new food offer into three of its sites called 40Burgers, that Hayes hinted could eventually become a standalone format.
He said the company would look at sites in cities such as Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham, while also continuing to build its presence in the capital.
He said: “Whilst we’ll still look at opportunities in London, going forward I don’t see us as a ‘London centric’ business. We’ll be spending a great deal of time during 2014 unearthing opportunities outside of the capital, with a view to adding multiple sites.
“It’s been a busy year for us. As well as opening the new sites, we created an online portal allowing consumers to order a wide range of bottled beers from around the world, as well as launching the National Home Brewer Awards.”
The expansion will be funded by cashflow, with Hayes stating that external investment is not an option he is looking to explore at present.
Craft Beer Co opened its first site in London’s Clerkenwell two years ago. It also operates pubs in Brixton and Islington as well as a site in Brighton.
