Moorhouse’s, the Lancashire brewer and pub operator, has reported record Halloween beer sales of more than 500,000 pints, amounting to a 7% spike on last year.
The company’s lower strength White Witch brew (3.8%abv) was the fastest growing core brand with sales beginning to challenge top selling Blond Witch (4.5%abv).
The news follows growth at 6% for last financial year with sales close to £6m.
Managing director David Grant said: “Our team has worked tremendously hard to achieve record growth again this year against all the challenges and problems of the current market. Despite many pubs closing each week and the number of micro-brewers growing relentlessly our quality beers have won through. It seems that the trend to the lighter coloured blonde beers is still in growing with Blond Witch and White Witch performing so well out of our six core beer list. We have only recently put White Witch on as permanent since it was launched as seasonal ale just two years ago, but it is terrifically popular as a tasty, easy drinking brew every where it appears.
“Increasingly publicans recognise Moorhouse’s as the brewer of choice for the witching season and this year we have made further progress nationally with business with leading pub companies as well as seeing our beer go well in our Lancashire northern heartland, where Halloween is always much celebrated.”
Grant reiterated his concerns over the rate of pub closures and the increased competition from micro-brewers and his interest in acquiring a chain of micro-pubs.
