The growth, which also includes a 19.5% increase in operating profit, follows a period of £6.5m investment in 20 tenanted and 3 managed outlets - with the sites providing good returns.
The Big Interview: William and Oliver Robinson
Redesigns, such as the Airport at Manchester Airport, have also won and been shortlisted for awards - and the brewery also picked up a new site, the Three Mariners, the oldest pub in Lancaster, it is claimed.
Investment has also driven an increase of 13.7% in brewing across Robinsons’ beer range, as well as continuing demand for their contract brewing and packaging services.
Oliver Robinson, managing director (Beer Division), said: “Many people think of Robinsons as a traditional family brewer and in many ways we are – especially where our values are concerned. But we’re also highly innovative. We’re testing new ingredients and methods of brewing with our White Label Range and the introduction of Wizard. We’re showcasing the capabilities of our brew house with the development of our increasingly adventurous set of seasonal ales.
"We’re adapting for the market with beers such as Dizzy Blonde being tweaked to fit the fuller flavour and higher ABV profiles that customers are demanding. And we’re pushing boundaries with new brand extensions and innovative marketing concepts with Trooper; which hit the 10-million-pint mark in 2015. There’s not very many family brewers out there that have as many beers in production at one time as we do and we’re in a great position to compete in the growing craft market whether that be in cask, keg or bottle.”
Managed
The return to managed houses in 2015 was also successful, according to the brewery, with a focus on family-orientated, food and drinks offers.
William Robinson, managing director (Pub Division), said: “Our long-term strategy is to continue to make considerable investments across our pub estate, to ensure we maintain the high standards we are setting.
"We will also continue to deliver an exceptional licensee support package, be that through projects such as the Greener Retailing research project we carried out in association with The Centre for Enterprise at MMU, the group purchasing arrangements we have created over the past 10 years, the innovative digital platform we have delivered for the business and each of our pubs, or more recently through the apprenticeship and training programs we have developed to support our licensees. These are all intended to support sustainable growth for the future prosperity of the company.”