Adnams Cellar & Kitchen retail sales up 6%

By Gemma McKenna

Published: 26 March, 2014

Adnams Cellar & Kitchen retail business saw a 6% increase like-for-like sales for the year to December 2013.

Adnams Cellar & Kitchen business saw a 6% increase like-for-like sales for the year to December 2013.

Overall annual sales for the Suffolk brewer, distiller and retailer, hit £60.5 million, 6.3% ahead of 2012, with operating profits down 2% to £3.3 million.

It also saw a 1.2% uplift in beer volumes.

Chairman Jonathan Adnams said: "Despite a difficult start to 2013 due to adverse weather conditions and poor consumer confidence, we saw a much-improved second half to the year as the economy, and the weather, started to pick up. 2013 was a year of many achievements for Adnams, with the introduction of new beers, our first whiskies and a number of prestigious awards across all areas of the business.

"2014 has started reasonably well for us and we believe that our long-term focus will help us to surmount the challenges that we will undoubtedly face."

While the group's pubs business faced a tough 2013 - it sold four over the trading year and one soon after the financial year closed - the retail arm of its business, Adnam's Cellar & Kitchen, put in a strong performance.

Jonathan Adnams said: "Our shops business enjoyed a strong 2013. Whilst some stores have always done well we have started to see improvements in most of the estate. We believe that a focus on operations, cost savings and a good offer of Adnams products bodes well for the future. The store estate remained unchanged during the year except for the fact that we opened a pop-up shop in the Chapelfield shopping centre in Norwich. This shop was open from September until the end of the year and traded very well. We will look at other such opportunities as and when they arise."

Adnams final dividend was £1.28, debt was down £3 million to £10.8 million. Over the course of the past year the company introduced 14 new beers including the Jack Brand beer range and two new whiskies produced at its three-year-old Copper House Distillery.

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