Attic Brew Co secures future with acquisition of brewery site

Attic Brew Co has bought the site in Stirchley that houses its brewery and award-winning Taproom bar, which between them employ around 50 staff. The deal was backed by a seven-figure funding package from NatWest, and the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II through fund manager Frontier Development Capital.

The 56,000 sq ft site off Mary Vale Road is also home to a number of other independent businesses, which will continue to operate as usual. The site was acquired from a private landlord who was looking to retire.

Attic Brew Co was founded by university pals Sam Back and Oli Hurlow, who initially operated from Sam’s attic in Kings Heath before opening the brewery in 2018. The company now also has a second bar, Barrel Store, in the Jewellery Quarter. Its products are stocked by major pub and hospitality groups, including Mitchells & Butlers, Peach Pubs and Stonegate, as well as Sainsbury’s, Co-op and Waitrose. The company also supplies Birmingham Airport and Cross Country train services.

Attic Brew Co has increased trade sales by 60% in the past year. The company has almost doubled the size of the brewhouse in recent months and is installing a new canning and kegging plant to keep up with demand. The funding package will also enable it to create new cold storage and further improve production facilities.

Sam Back, founder and Director, said: “The brewery and Taproom are at the heart of our business and we have invested heavily in the facilities over the years. Acquiring the site will secure the future of the business, enabling us to continue our investment to pursue our aim to become the Midlands’ best loved independent brewery.”

Raj Minhas of Frontier Development Capital added: “Sam and Oli have built one of the UK’s most successful and fast-growing regional breweries. The sale of the site could have posed a significant risk as it would have been too costly had they been forced to move to another location. We are pleased to have worked with NatWest to provide a funding package that enables them to remain on the site and invest in their future growth.”

Sukhvinder Bhogal, Relationship Director with NatWest, added: “Sectors like independent brewing are vital to the Midlands economy, creating skilled jobs, attracting visitors and breathing new life into local communities. Attic Brew Co is a great example of an ambitious, well-run business with strong roots in Birmingham and a clear plan for growth. By supporting the purchase of their site, we’re helping to give the business long-term security and the confidence to invest further in its people, its production facilities and its future. We’re proud to back Sam, Oli and the team as they continue to build one of the region’s standout independent breweries.”

David Tindall, Senior Investment Manager at the British Business Bank, said: “This recent investment demonstrates how the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II is helping ambitious businesses access the funding they need to achieve their long-term growth plans.

“Attic Brew has established itself as a successful and innovative business with strong roots in the Midlands. By supporting the acquisition of its premises, we’re helping provide the long-term security needed for the business to continue growing, creating jobs and contributing to the region’s food and drink sector. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this investment will have for the business, its employees and the wider local economy.”

Julie Mole and Jack Edmonds provided fundraising advice to the company.

The £400m Midlands Engine Investment Fund II covers the entire Midlands region and provides equity investment up to £5m and debt finance from £25k to £2m to help a range of small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead.

The purpose of the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the Midlands. The Midlands Engine Investment Fund II will increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for smaller businesses in the Midlands, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and help to break down barriers in access to finance.