FDBusiness.com

Shepherd Neame, the UK regional brewer and pub operator, has increased turnover by 1.6% to £61.7m for the 26 weeks ended December 25th 2010. Operating profit was flat at £6.4m. The company’s beer volume grew by 0.6% as its key brands such as Spitfire, Bishops Finger and Asahi performed well despite the tough market environment.

“This has been another good performance for the company. We have achieved record turnover and record total beer volume against a background of adverse weather conditions and pressure on disposable income,” says Miles Templeman, chairman of Shepherd Neame. “2011 will place a further squeeze on consumers’ disposable income through tax rises and inflationary pressures, but we remain focused on driving the business for the long term, on developing the quality of our brands and pubs and on maintaining our strong cash generation.”