NORTH EAST LINCOLNSHIRE, England — Axholme Brewing Company have this week reported unprecedented sales figures for the last quarter of 2017 with their first new beer of 2018 selling out in record time as demand for their ales continues to grow. October to December was a record sales period for the Lincolnshire brewery as pubs, bars, restaurants and shops stocked up for Christmas. Even the traditionally quieter months of January and February have seen strong sales growth with the new Bounty Hunter coconut milk stout selling out in under a week.
Director, Shahram Shadan, is delighted, but not surprised, by company’s rapid growth and the success of the latest beer.
“The last three months of 2017 were huge for us. We ended the year by selling out our entire bottle stock just days before Christmas. Our core range, in particular Cleethorpes Pale Ale, continues to sell really well, but adding new lines such as the Resistance 6% IPA and the Bounty Hunter Coconut milk stout has helped us keep things fresh and gain new customers. Demand for Bounty Hunter has been extraordinary and the reaction on social media has been overwhelmingly positive – some calling it one of our best beers yet. The timing is good for a milk stout and the name and branding have also proved to be a hit. Our beers are developing a reputation for their consistency and quality so when we bring out something new it has to be at that level. Thanks to our Head Brewer, they have been. Resistance was a huge success in 2017 and we have been blown away by how quickly Bounty Hunter sold out!”
Head Brewer, Mike Richards, has enjoyed the opportunity to experiment with new ideas and was the first person to try Bounty Hunter.
“Coming up with new beers is always fun but until it’s been taste tested there’s an anxious wait to see whether it will come out how I planned. We had been planning a dark beer for Winter and milk stouts are having a resurgence at the moment, so we decided to have a go. The addition of coconut and lactose works perfectly and add to the sweetness. I’m delighted with it and the feedback so far has been fantastic.”
William Douglas, Director, is buoyant about the brewery’s performance and the year ahead.
“This was our best Christmas to date. Sales were up 300% in the last quarter of 2017 compared to the same period last year. We struck major deals with Lincolnshire Co-Op, Parkway Cinemas and Papa’s Fish and Chips, grew our local customer base and sold out our entire bottle stock in the run up to Christmas. These milestones and the success of Bounty Hunter show we are going in the right direction. But we are not resting on our laurels. We know we could have sold a lot more beer and this is motivating us to get our new bigger brewery open in Grimsby as soon as possible. With increased production capacity, we are confident we can build on the success of last year, create more jobs in the area and lay the foundations for a bumper 2018.”
Bounty Hunter will be on draft in pubs and bars this weekend including message in a bottle, The Brown Cow in Louth and Crown and Anchor Tetney Lock and The Settlement in Caistor, The Whalebone Hull.