Bristol-based craft brewer Wiper & True has increased capacity by 50%, following the installation of four new 12,000-litre fermentation vessels last month.
The investment would support the growth of Wiper & True’s flagship Kaleidoscope pale ale – now stocked in almost 400 Sainsbury’s stores – as well as its alcohol-free beers Tomorrow and Kaleidoscope Alcohol-Free, founder Michael Wiper said.
The two 0.5% abv brews – launched in December 2022 and January 2024 respectively – now make up 15% of the brewer’s total sales. The pair could reach as much as half of its beer sales in the future, Wiper predicted.
“It is still a small part of the market but it’s a massive opportunity,” he said.
Tomorrow and Kaleidoscope AF were Wiper & True’s two fastest-growing SKUs, despite the brewer having no major contracts to supply them to supermarkets, pub groups or restaurants, Wiper said.
“It’s just lots of smaller outlets buying them,” he said.
The brewer was currently in discussions with larger retailers about listing its alcohol-free beers in the hope of growing its 600-plus grocery distribution points, he added.
“We won a Great Taste Award a couple of weeks ago for Kaleidoscope AF and all of a sudden the phone has been ringing with people interested in listing,” he said.
Having added distribution in Sainsbury’s and Waitrose this year, grocery was now the fastest-growing segment of Wiper & True’s business, Wiper revealed.
Despite a slew of craft brewers stocked in supermarkets going bust in the past 12 months, he dismissed the notion the channel was not a viable route to market for independent brewers.
“We haven’t experienced the supermarket pressures on pricing,” he said. “It’s all been quite sensible in terms of the conversations that we’ve had and we’re quite happy with the margins we are making at the moment.”
However, he emphasised the importance of small businesses like his own growing “at the right tempo” when eyeing off-trade expansion, and not trying to compete with larger brewers on price.
“If you get into a race on price with one of the big guys as a small player, you’re not going to win,” he said.
Adopting this approach meant Wiper & True hadn’t “had to take on any deals we weren’t happy with”, he added.
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