Wed, 16 Oct 2024 | BUSINESS SALE
Aberdeenshire-based Summerhouse Drinks has bought one of its key suppliers Brechin firm Ella Drinks after learning that its owners were set to retire.
Summerhouse Drinks, founded by Claire Rennie in 2014 at her four generation family farm in Fraserburgh, makes a range of drinks such as Scottish Raspberry Lemonade, Lavender Lemonade and Pumpkin Soda. A key focus is, according to its website, to ‘improve the disappointing soft drink options for non-drinkers and designated drivers on nights out’.
Rennie said she learned earlier this year that John Gallagher and Anne Thomson of Ella Drinks, which has supplied her with raspberry juice for over a decade, were planning to retire.
The acquisition, the first one made by Summerhouse Drinks, includes the purchase of the wholesale fruit processing equipment along with the three retail brands – Ella Drinks, Bouvrage and Angus Apples.
“They have been a supplier of ours and the quality is exceptional, the best you can get,” Rennie said. “It made us very nervous when we found out that John and Anne planned to move on. The Scottish raspberry juice is used in 30% of our business. It’s vital. We started to discuss what buying them would look like.”
Rennie hopes that the deal will not only protect the supply of raspberry juice but also allow it to expand its range of products.
“It gives us lots of other opportunities to work with fruits which we haven’t used before. We’ve done our first transition day and will get to know all of the processes and machinery,” Rennie said. “We won’t be changing anything, just looking to learn from John and Anne to produce the same quality.” Production will relocate to Summerhouse Drinks’ facility near Fraserburgh after a handover period.
Soft drinks have surged in demand in recent years as British drinkers cut down their alcohol consumption and look for healthier alternatives. According to the Britvic Soft Drinks Review 2024 sales of soft drinks climbed 4 per cent to £3.2 billion in 2023.
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