Bottling plant boost for Highland brewery

CAIRNGORM Brewery yesterday unveiled plans for an enlarged bottling plant that will help it grow revenues by 50 per cent to £1.5 million.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise has pumped a 250,000 grant into the business.

The Aviemore-based brewer – which makes beers including Trade Winds and Wildcat – currently has to send its beer to England to be bottled as its existing plant cannot meet demand.

The firm also plans to fulfil contracts with other companies at its new facility, which is expected to open in December. Founded in 2000 and employing 18 staff, Cairngorm turns over about 1m a year.

Managing director Samantha Faircliff said: "Rising demand has outstripped the capacity of our small-scale bottle filling machine so we have to send the beer south to be bottled in the quantities we require. We are also running out of space."