Having recently reached the majestic age of 70 Goddards brewery founder, Anthony Goddard, considers it makes no sense to die in harness, thus rather unkindly leaving his family to sort out what happens to the brewery when he eventually croaks, so he has decided to sell the business.
Goddards Brewery is one the country’s best established independent breweries. It’s part of what the government last year described as the “UK’s brewing powerhouse” and a name that’s also synonymous with quality real ale.
Anthony has this week said:
“Back in 2012, I started to ease away from the day-to-day running of the business and to ensure that there would be an experienced team in place.
“Goddards has an impressive and growing client base of more than 250 customers and sells over 700,000 pints of real ale per year. I’d like to think that it provides really sound foundations on which a new owner can build further.”
The fashion for real ales and craft beer shows no sign of diminishing in the UK. Over the past few years, new investment in breweries has seen more than two opening every week. In 2015 no less than 204 (nearly four per week) were opened.
Anthony continued:
“Investing in a new brewery is an expensive and risky project. It takes years to acquire the reputation and ‘gravitas’ to survive in an increasingly competitive environment.
Article continues below this advertisement “At least buying Goddards comes with the advantage that someone else has overcome and dealt with the growing pains.”
The current line-up of Goddards beers is full of character and has been carefully crafted to include perennial favourites like ‘Fuggle-Dee-Dum’, ‘Duck’s Folly’ and ‘Ale of Wight’. More recently introduced is ‘Wight Squirrel’, using hops grown locally at Ventnor Botanic Gardens and specially created beers like ‘Quarr Abbey Ale’, flavoured with coriander and sweet gale grown in the Abbey’s gardens.
This emphasis on utilising local produce, now including locally grown barley when available, has undoubtedly led to Goddards producing distinctive and multiple award-winning beers. ‘Fuggle-Dee-Dum’ was a runner-up for Champion Beer of Britain in 1995 and is still winning awards 20 years later in 2015.
A by-product of being so well established is that customers include Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Tesco and Majestic. Guest ale slots include Fullers, Greene King, Wetherspoon and Mitchells & Butlers amongst several others.
Anthony concluded:
“I can think of worse ways to earn a living than owning a brewery and it’s a very genial trade with which to be involved. The past 23 years have been hard work, but tremendous fun and thoroughly rewarding. As a lifestyle I would recommend it!”
Prospective purchasers are invited to view the detailed sales brochure on the Goddards Brewery website at www.goddardsbrewery.com.
