FDBusiness.com

Cider and beer company C&C Group, which owns the Magners, Blackthorn and Tennent’s brands, has confirmed its resignation from the Portman Group.

Paul Bartlett, head of Corporate Social Responsibility at C&C, says: “We informed the Portman Group last year that we planned to resign in order to focus our resources on a strategy of investing in community projects rather than industry lobbying. Since then we have launched our Help for Heroes beer, announced an investment of £1 million in UK orchards and taken on the distribution of One Water in Scotland. These are very worthwhile projects that aim to put something back into the communities in which we operate”

He adds: “We remain passionate about the rights of adults to enjoy alcohol responsibly and our credentials in this area over a long period of time are very strong. We support minimum unit pricing in Scotland and across the island of Ireland because, as a local company, we understand the needs of the communities in which we play a part. Sadly the Portman Group has moved away from its founding principles and is now dominated by the large multi-national drink companies with an agenda at odds with our colleagues in the wider UK industry. On this basis we feel it’s time to leave.”

C&C Group manufactures Bulmers, the leading Irish cider brand, Magners, the premium international cider brand, Gaymers cider and the Shepton Mallet Cider Mill range of English ciders and the Tennent’s beer brand. C&C Group also owns Woodchuck and Hornsby’s, two of the leading craft cider brands in theUnited States. The group’s Irish wholesaling subsidiary, Gleeson Group, manufactures Tipperary Water and Finches soft drinks. C&C Group also distributes a number of beer brands in the Scottish, Irish and Northern Irish markets.