AG Barr weathers well as sales rise despite rainfall
AG Barr said yesterday it has defied bleak weather over the last six months to increase its sales.
The Irn Bru maker, which also owns the Rubicon juice brand, said in its latest trading statement that sales for the six months to 30 July were up 3.5 per cent compared with the same period last year.
That was despite a slowdown in the soft drinks market as a whole during June.
The company said in a statement: “We are pleased to have matched the market volume growth figures without responding to the significant increase in competitor price promotion activity in the period.”
“Overall, our sales momentum is increasing and, despite difficult market conditions in June, the business has performed well in July building on the growth experienced earlier in the year.”
But the company admitted that delays to improvements made at its Cumbernauld production facility had resulted in “short-term capacity issues”.
“We anticipate a gradual improvement in our production capacity and efficiencies over the coming months,” the Scotland-based group said.
In the year to date the total soft drinks market has remained resilient, driven by increased promotional activity, taking volume up by one per cent and value by six per cent in the 26 weeks to 9 July.