Irn-Bru maker AG Barr buys Fentimans and Frobishers in deals worth over ยฃ50m
Irn-Bru maker AG Barr has revealed deals worth more than ยฃ50 million to snap up soft drinks rivals Fentimans and Frobishers as it said it was set for a double-digit hike in annual profits.
The Scottish firm told shareholders it completed a roughly ยฃ38 million deal to buy Fentimans on Monday, in a move funded through a combination of cash and debt.
It also closed a deal at the end of its financial year to January to buy Devon-based juice business Frobishers for ยฃ13 million.
Cumbernauld-based AG Barr unveiled the acquisitions as it reported a โstrongโ financial year, with increases in sales and profitability, which it said had put it on track for double-digit growth in underlying pre-tax profits for the year to January 31.
Annual revenues rose to around ยฃ437 million, up 4% on the previous year, and earnings were also helped by ongoing cost savings and investment in its supply chain.
Euan Sutherland, chief executive of AG Barr, said: โOur top and bottom-line performance for full-year 2025-26 is in line with expectations, and importantly we have laid strong foundations for future growth.
โWe enter 2026-27 with good momentum in our core brands and from the introduction of exciting new products.
โIn line with our strategy of enhancing our organic growth with mergers and acquisitions, we are delighted to announce the acquisitions of Fentimans and Frobishers.โ
It added the brands to its existing stable, led by Irn-Bru and also including Rubicon, energy drink Boost and the Funkin cocktails range.
The firm said the acquired brands operate in the adult soft drinks market, โwhich is benefitting from the consumer trend of reduced alcohol consumptionโ.
โThese acquisitions reflect the execution of further meaningful and targeted mergers and acquisitions to elevate growth through broadening the brand portfolio while providing opportunities for cost synergies,โ the company added.
AG Barr said Irn-Bru had โmodest growthโ in the final six months of the year after failing to grow in the first half, thanks to marketing and distribution initiatives, while a โgood performanceโ from Rubicon and Boost helped offset a decline for the Funkin range.
