Keystone Brewing Group has reportedly moved to protect itself from creditor pressure after filing a notice of intention to appoint administrators.
The UK business – which is owned by Breal Group, oversees the Black Sheep, Fourpure and Purity brands and distributes brands including Hofmeister – is set to appoint FRP Advisory as administrators, according to a Sky News report earlier today (28 November). The publication added that the business is aiming to buy time to pursue a restructuring or sale.
Keystone employs around 190 people across multiple UK sites. The group has faced mounting cost pressures and weakening consumer demand, with the filing understood to follow pressure from several trade creditors. Its portfolio includes Black Sheep, which itself entered administration in 2023 before being acquired by the current owners.
Global Drinks Intel has contacted the company for confirmation of the report.
In June, Keystone received a GBP2m (US$2.7m) injection from shareholders at Breal, setting a target of doubling its sales over the next 12 months, having hit GBP14.5m in the year to the end of March 2024 (its most recent, publicly available results).
