A SHIFT from craft brewer to contract beer-maker has led to Gage Roads Brewing posting a maiden profit of $680,000, and has the Palmyra-based operation poised to launch three new contract brews during the next year.
Two weeks after Gage Roads Brewing Co cancelled its distribution deal, the brewer has agreed to supply beer to major retailer Woolworths, which will take a 25 per cent interest in the company.
GAGE Roads Breweries has cancelled its distribution agreement with VOK Beverages, marking a significant shift in strategy for the Palmyra-based brewer.
The recent decision by two of Western Australia's microbrewers to sell up could present growth opportunities for the industry's remaining players, according to Gage Roads CEO Nick Hayler.
An increase in marketing and personnel expenditure against a background of flat sales growth has prompted Gage Roads Brewing Co Ltd to post a full year net loss of nearly $4 million.
The circumstances surrounding the departure from Gage Roads Brewing Co Ltd of co-founder and managing director, Peter Nolin, remain unclear almost a fortnight after his resignation.
