Cheers as lager exported to China
An iconic Welsh beer that was served on the ill-fated Titanic has landed its biggest ever export orders with major deals in China and France.
Wrexham Lager which itself sank in 2002 has been resurrected and says it owes some of its success to the Llangollen Food Festival
The company will be making a triumphant return to the annual festival this autumn after securing the two international contracts.
China is currently the world’s largest market for lager, overtaking both Germany and the US, and the Wrexham-based firm hopes foreign interest will lead to new jobs for local people.
Office manager Nic Gaffey said: “The French contract is with a wholesaler which supplies more than 3,000 supermarkets and deli shops. It’s a big order for us and hopefully once the bottles go out they’ll be well-received and the supplier will look to re-order in bigger volumes. We’re hoping for a four-six week turnaround.
“It’s a similar story in Hong Kong where the wholesaler has a licence to distribute alcoholic drink across China.
“The bottles will be sold across China in high-end specialist drink shops selling premium spirits and lager.
“There's a very strong market for high-end lager and spirits in China and from there we’re hoping to get more orders.”
To toast its success, Wrexham Lager is taking its purpose-built formal bar to Llangollen Food Festival and will serve a variety of soft drinks, spirits as well as Wrexham lager in draught and bottles and will accompany the firm’s usual demonstration trail
This year Llangollen Food Festival will be held on October 13 and 14, with thousands of food lovers expected from far and wide.
It’s been named as one of the Top 10 food festivals in the UK by the Independent and Daily Telegraph newspapers.
Nic said: “We’re already looking for an additional member of staff and as orders increase there could be the potential for additional delivery drivers and others to work on the brewery side which is all good for the local economy.”
Wrexham Lager was first brewed in 1882 by German immigrants and was the first chilled beer in the UK.
The brewery was resurrected in 2011 by the Roberts family and Ian Dale, the former head brewer at Wrexham Lager, and production of the historic tipple was revived.
The firm now supplies hundreds of pubs across North Wales, the North West and beyond.
Llangollen Food Festival committee members Phil Davies said: “Thanks to a whole host of indigenous companies, North East Wales is rapidly establishing a reputation as a centre of excellence for high quality products like Wrexham Lager.
“The food festival is a perfect shop window for the companies who form the backbone of the local economy."
