Award-winning craft ale company Cairngorm Brewery has announced plans to expand into new international markets.
The Aviemore-based business, which recently acquired the Loch Ness Beer brand, is looking to add Canada, Singapore and other countries to the list of nations it already exports to.
Cairngorm’s products are currently sold in Australia, Germany, Norway and Switzerland and managing director Sam Faircliff said increased exporting was “definitely the firm’s future growth area.”
Established in 2001, the brewery has an annual turnover of £3.5m and employs 45 members of staff. It produces a wide range of cask, kegged and bottles beers and plans to introduce at least one new variety each year.
The business has been growing year-on-year and has won more than 80 awards for its ales.
The company said it had been assisted in its efforts to identify new overseas markets by use of the Bank of Scotland’s international trade portal tool.
Ms Faircliff said: “We are an ambitious business and exporting is definitely our future growth area.
“The international trade portal has been invaluable in helping us compare markets because the information it offers means you’re comparing like with like, so we can properly benchmark opportunities.”
Cairngorm teamed up with Cobbs Group Loch Ness in October to rescue Loch Ness Beer, acquiring the trade mark and 20 recipes after the company that brewed it went into liquidation.
At the time of the acquisition Ms Faircliff said that as as globally well-known brand it offered a “great opportunity for the export market.”
Barrie Aird, relationship manager at Bank of Scotland, said: “Craft beer is a key contributor to Scotland’s food and drink exports and the UK’s balance of trade.
“Bank of Scotland is committed to working with this sector to help Britain prosper and to support businesses like Cairngorm Brewery expand their international presence.”
Closer to home, the brewery recently lodged plans to transform an historic Inverness city centre building into a new craft beer bar and restaurant.
The company has applied for listed building planning consent for the project at the former AI Welders building at the north end of Academy Street, which it bought in 2013.
