Wrexham Lager has appointed former Aber Falls managing director James Wright as its new CEO.
Wright, a 25-year drinks industry veteran with experience at brands including Red Bull, Corona Extra and Lamb’s Navy Rum, joins the Welsh business as it looks to “develop [its] national and international relevance”.
Prior to joining Wrexham Lager, Wright was responsible for setting up the Halewood Wine & Spirits-owned Aber Falls Distillery. During his time at the company, the Welsh whisky maker went on to secure regional and national distribution.
He left Aber Falls and Halewood in July 2022.
Wrexham Lager described Wright as “a specialist in brand building and customer activation, product strategy and innovation, and routes to market”.
The brand’s chairman Mark Roberts said: “James has an incredible track record of successfully building both product portfolios and standalone businesses. He knows how to develop national and international relevance for a regional brand, and we are excited for what the future holds under his leadership.”
Wright himself added he was excited to join a business with “an incredibly compelling proposition for both consumers and the trade” and “have a clear and exciting direction of travel”.
Wrexham Lager is the UK’s oldest lager brewery, dating back to 1881. Its original expression was exported internationally during the 19th century and sold on the Titanic.
The brewery was bought by Ind Coope, and later Carlsberg-Tetley, before being shut down in the early 2000s.
The brand was revived in 2011 in the village Bangor-on-Dee, using an older recipe of the original lager.
In recent times it has secured listings with Tesco and Aldi, and is a sponsor of EFL club Wrexham AFC, now under the stewardship of Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
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