Brewer gets biggest order in 104 years

Mar 25 2009 By Rob Pattinson, The Journal

A TRADITIONAL soft drinks brewer has received the biggest ever order in its 104-year-history. Supermarket chain Waitrose have requested 200,000 bottles of traditional beer from Hexham-based firm Fentimans’.

The order is designed to stock Waitrose’ shelves as it offers Fentimans’ Ginger Beer as part of its Curry Meal Deal, available from all of its stores from March 25 - 31.

The 18,000 cases being shipped out to the stores is the equivalent of the company’s entire turnover in its first year after relaunch, in 1988.

The deal means families keen to support The Journal’s Think North East First campaign by putting products from the region first will now find it easier then ever.

Fentimans managing director, Eldon Robson, put the size and significance of the order into perspective.

He said: "We found some old accounts, dating back to 1925, when Fentimans sold the equivalent of 9,000 bottles of ginger beer, although in those days it was sold from the back of wagons in stone jars called ‘grey hens’.

"When I started Fentimans up again in 1988, the first year we sold just over 200,000 bottles and now 21 years later, this one order is for almost exactly the same amount as an entire year’s sales back then.

"Fentimans ginger beer is served in many curry restaurants including the Cinammon Club in London, because the ginger perfectly balances the heat of a curry.

"Fentimans may have been around since 1905, but in fact curry has been a favourite British dish since the mid-eighteenth century, so we came along relatively recently – but it is a perfect match, as I am sure Waitrose customers will discover."