RTD brand Ampersand Projects has been acquired by Australian Beer Co (ABCo), part of Casella Family brands, as ABCo increases its focus on the RTD and spirits category.
Chris Blockley, head of sales for ABCo, spoke to the appeal of Ampersand Projects for ABCo.
“Ampersand Projects have been innovators in the RTD space for some time now and as we continue to look at our ABCo portfolio, consumer driven innovation is at the forefront of our activity. We are really looking forward to bringing together the legacy and time-tested expertise of Casella Family Brands/ABCo and the agility of Ampersand Projects – while remaining a proudly independent Australian business,” Blockley said.
Ampersand Projects was founded in 2018 by Marcus Kellett, Shaun Rankins and Alex Bottomley and has released popular products such as Vodka Soda & and has sold 15 million cans since it was founded. The founders will continue in their roles to continue the business’s growth with ABCo.
The Ampersand Projects team are looking forward to joining with ABCo, a spokesperson told The Shout.
“We are really happy to be partnering with a family-owned, independent business of this calibre. We are so impressed by the Casella story and their heritage so we could not be happier and excited to begin a strong partnership together. The Casella Family Brands have really great synergies and we felt that were just the perfect fit,” the spokesperson said.
The acquisition will provide Ampersand Projects with added resources, allowing the brand to continue to grow.
“For the Ampersand brand, it is business as usual; focusing on driving new products that we have just recently released including our Purple Gin, Whisky RTD range, and High ABV Vodka Soda products. All founders and staff will be continuing work within the business.
“We are about to have our biggest summer ever, which we are looking forward to. We’ll also look at implementing our marketing campaigns working on new and exciting ways to showcase our products and appeal to an even wider demographic and range of consumers,” said the spokesperson .
Blockley explained that this acquisition is part of ABCo’s broader plan to engage with changing consumer preferences.
“ABCo has seen rapid growth in recent months with the introduction of the Ranga range (RTD) and the Son of a Nun zero and low carb beer line. Consumer wants are changing more than ever before, so at ABCo we are responding to these wants with a consumer-first approach, meaning there are products for all to enjoy, especially going into the summer months. For now, I can say there are plenty more exciting things to come for ABCo with the inclusion of the Ampersand Projects and their multi-beverage offering,” he said.