By Andy Young
Kegstar founder and managing director Adam Trippe-Smith has said "it's now game on" for the keg company after the global supply chain logistics company Brambles took 100 per cent ownership.
Brambles previously held a 30 per cent stake in Kegstar and, after acquiring the remaining the remaining shares of Trippe-Smith and co-shareholder Shane Bradley, the company will now look at expanding into new territories beyond Australia and New Zealand.
Brambles has said that Kegstar will continue to operate as a standalone business, with Trippe-Smith remaining as managing director. All the Kegstar staff will also be retained “to continue the execution of the company’s business plan”.
Trippe-Smith said: “I am excited and proud that Brambles has recognised the unique business that my team has created over an extraordinarily short period of time. We now look forward to tapping into the global asset pooling knowledge and network of the entire Brambles group to take Kegstar to the next level.
“It’s now game on.”
With Brambles now its owners Kegstar will seek to establish a European operation and will launch a specialist keg-pooling business in the UK in February 2016. That move will also see Kegstar look to expand its operations into mainland Europe. The addition of Kegstar operations in Europe also opens up the opportunity for customers in Australia and New Zealand to export their beer to the UK in Kegstar kegs and UK brewers to export their beer to Australia and New Zealand in Kegstar kegs.
Brambles chief financial officer Zlatko Todorcevski added: “When Brambles first invested in Kegstar in March 2014, we saw it as an exciting and innovative business with a great team that was gaining traction in the fast-growing craft beer and cider market.
“We didn’t have a presence in keg pooling, but definitely identified the potential to add value, not just through financial investment, but also with Brambles’ supply-chain expertise and global network. Having seen what the Kegstar team has achieved since then, it was an easy decision to take the step of acquiring the company. Brambles will fully support Adam and his team as they take Kegstar forward.”
Having launched in December 2012 with 880 kegs and one customer, Kegstar now works with 140 brewers, 75 distribution partners and has grown its keg pool to in excess of 50,000 stainless steel kegs.