Great British Drinks Acquires Keystone for £6.5M

The Keystone Brewing Group, a prominent UK brewery behind popular brands like Black Sheep, Purity, and Hofmeister, has been acquired for 6.5 million pounds by the newly formed Great British Drinks Company, averting administration and securing the future of its operations. The deal, completed through a prepackaged sale overseen by administrators at FRP Advisory, preserves 145 jobs out of the company's approximately 190 employees and ensures the retention and revitalization of all three existing brewery sites across Yorkshire and Warwickshire.

Administrators Anthony Collier and Martyn Rickels were appointed on January 22 following the company's second notice of intention to appoint administrators, filed in January after an initial notice in November of the previous year. These notices provided temporary protection against immediate closure amid mounting financial pressures, including rising production costs, declining consumer spending, and challenges in the hospitality sector. The acquisition arrives just before scheduled increases in alcohol duties next month, which could have further strained the industry.

Under the new ownership, key operational assets have transferred...