Four Staffordshire breweries raise a glass as local ales will be stocked in 20 Co-op stores

Posted by rob smyth | Published: 17/05/2018


Four Staffordshire breweries are raising a glass to the news that their products are now being stocked by a major food retailer in 20 local stores.

Central England Co-op has linked up with Freedom Brewery, Titanic Brewery, Lymestone Brewery and Staffordshire Brewery to sell a selection of their locally brewed real ales in selected stores across the county.

Freedom Brewery, based in Abbots Bromley, has been creating ales since 1995 and now operates from astate-of-the-art site in the countryside.

The brewery offers a range of different drinks from a ‘refreshing’ lager to a pale ale and uses local spring water during its brewing process to improve taste.

Stoke-based Titanic Brewery started life in 1985 and now produces over three million pints a year.

The brewery employs around 150 local people and is renowned across the county for its versions of porter and stout.

Lymestone Brewery, based in Stone, is a family run operation and creates a range of ales and seasonal brews.

In the heart of the Staffordshire Moorlands, Adrian Corke and Sue Carline began brewing hand-crafted beers and out of that came the Staffordshire Brewery.

The operation has grown from brewing in a garden shed and bottling in a kitchen in 2002 to now working from 1,000sg ft specialist unit.

The team offer everything from ales to ciders from its home in Cheddleton, Leek.

Supporting local producers is important to Central England Co-op and the retailer now stocks hundreds of locally-sourced products in stores, from fish smoked in a traditional smokehouse in Lowestoft to cakes from Fatherson Bakery in Alcester.

Branston Food Store Manager Suzanne Young said: “We are really proud at Central England Co-op of continuing our long tradition of working with local suppliers by joining forces with four great Staffordshire breweries to showcase some great beers and ales.

“With summer just around the corner, customers can enjoy a great offering when it comes to beers, wines and spirits, an offering made even better by the addition of some great local creations made just a few miles away.

“Our range includes some hot new products alongside some established old favourites, with many available chilled in our stores – perfect for a hot day this summer.

“We also have some great options in our stores when it comes to pairing our range with the correct food. This is a fantastic opportunity to really make the most of your dining experience and enjoy a nice drink at the same time.”

Keep up-to-date with our range of beers, wines and spirits by visiting centralengland.coop/deals

 

Notes to editors

Picture caption: Images of some of the great locally produced beers available in Central England Co-op stores across Staffordshire.

                The new local ales range is available in the following stores:

  • Alrewas Food Store
  • Baswich Lane Food Store, Stafford
  • Branston Food Store
  • Cannock Road Food Store
  • Castle Park Food Store, Burton
  • Curborough Road Food Store, Lichfield
  • Eccleshall Supermarket
  • Eton Park Food Store, Burton
  • First Avenue Food Store
  • Fradley Park Food Store
  • Lichfield Supermarket
  • Lynton Avenue Food Store, Stafford
  • Rising Brook Food Store, Stafford
  • Rugeley Food Store
  • Silkmore Lane Food Store, Stafford
  • Stapenhill Food Store
  • Stretton Food Store
  • Weston Road Food Store, Stafford
  • Wildwood Food Store, Stafford
  • Winshill Food Store

About Central England Co-operative

Central England Co-operative is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK. 

 

It is a modern, forward-looking organisation employing over 8,000 staff, with the Society’s principal areas of activity being food, funeral services, and property investment.

 

Central England Co-operative has over 400 trading outlets across 16 counties including; West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.  The Society has an ambitious food store development programme for 2018.

 

Central England Co-operative is proud of its reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility.  It is a member of Business in the Community, the membership organisation that stands for responsible business, and has also won many business awards for excellence.  The Society supports a number of charities including Dementia UK and invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities.

 

Becoming a member of Central England Co-operative offers a whole host of benefits ranging from collecting points every time you spend in store to earn a share of the profits, access to members activities and community initiatives including the Community Dividend Fund, which hands out grants of up to £5,000 to charities and good causes across the Society’s trading estate.

Find out how to become a Central England Co-operative member by calling 0800 0501 601, emailing members@centralengland.coop or visiting https://www.members.coop

 

For more information visit www.centralengland.coop, follow Central England Co-operative on Twitter: @mycoopfood, and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative

 

Rob Smyth / Heather Clapton at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140

 

Email –publicrelations@centralengland.coop