Irn-Bru maker AG Barr has moved to tap into the “attractive” market for adult soft drinks with the acquisitions of UK firms Fentimans and Frobishers Juices.
AG Barr issued a brief statement on the acquisitions today (3 February) alongside a trading update for its financial year that closed at the end of January.
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“Both brands operate in the attractive adult soft drinks market, which is benefitting from the consumer trend of reduced alcohol consumption,” Funkin owner AG Barr said.
“These acquisitions reflect the execution of further meaningful and targeted M&A to elevate growth through broadening the brand portfolio while providing opportunities for cost synergies.”
AG Barr paid £38m ($52m) for Fentimans in a deal the companies completed yesterday. The group snapped up Frobishers for £13m. That deal was finalised “towards” the end of AG Barr’s financial year.
Family-owned Fentimans, based in north-east England, makes and markets “botanically brewed” mixers and soft drinks. Devon-based Frobishers was sold to UK juices business Cobell in 2009. Ingredients giant Symrise snapped up Cobell eight years later.
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By GlobalDataThe most recent accounts available on Companies House, the UK business register, show Fentimans generated turnover of £35.7m in 2024, down from just under £39m a year earlier. It made a profit of £1m against a loss of just over £514,000 in 2023.
In the year to the end of January, AG Barr said it saw its revenue grow by around 4% to £437m.
AG Barr’s trading update also included details of its “adjusted operating margin”, which the company said stood at 14.7%, up 110 basis points on a year earlier. The group pointed to “ongoing efficiency initiatives and supply chain investment”.
Shares in AG Barr were up 6.21% at 690.3p at 12:32 GMT. The company is set to report its full annual results on 31 March.
CEO Euan Sutherland said: “Our top- and bottom-line performance for FY25/26 is in line with expectations and importantly we have laid strong foundations for future growth. We enter FY26/27 with good momentum in our core brands and from the introduction of exciting new products.”
