Brownes Dairy has acquired its UK co-packing business Indul in a bid to boost sales of RTD coffee brand Hunt And Brew in the country.  

The deal included a factory in Hungerford, west of London. Financial details were not disclosed.

Australia-based Brownes Dairy launched Hunt And Brew in the UK in July last year. The brand was already on sale in its domestic market and in South East Asia.

"Previously we were limited in the factory as other brands products we’re also being produced, limiting our capacity," a Brownes Dairy spokesperson told Just Drinks. "We have significant growth ambitions in the UK, with our partnership with Tesco for Hunt And Brew just the beginning."

Hunt And Brew is on sale in around 400 Tesco stores in the UK. Brownes Dairy markets the RTD coffee "as a premium product", with a retail price of £3.45 ($4.60) in Tesco main estate stores and £3.95 in Tesco Express outlets.

The company is planning to launch its Hunt And Brew “Australia” cold-brew coffee product, which is made with Australian-grown beans, in the UK.

In a statement, Brownes Dairy CEO Natalie Sarich-Dayton added: “This is a watershed moment for Brownes Dairy and a powerful vote of confidence in the Hunt And Brew brand. 

“We’re thrilled to be the first to bring Australian speciality coffee to the UK on a mass scale. We’re not just launching another iced coffee; we’re setting a new standard for what consumers should expect from the category.”

In April, McGrathNicol Restructuring was appointed receivers of the shares in Australian Zhiran Co. Pty Ltd, Brownes Dairy’s ultimate holding company, in April.

Brownes Dairy plans to formally seek a buyer, or investment in the business, next year, the company told Just Drinks today (23 October).

The spokesperson said the sale process was “ongoing”, adding: “McGrath Nicol is currently working closely with the Brownes Dairy team to compile all business information into an investor package to take Brownes Dairy to market.

“While we’re yet to officially go out to market, we’ve had significant interest from a range of exciting investors. Our business will formally go to market in 2026.”