Kegstar has announced that existing investor Brambles has increased its 30 per cent ownership to acquire 100 per cent of the supply-chain logistics company. Under the new ownership, significant investment will be put behind Kegstar to expand the company into UK, which the company says will open up the opportunity for customers in New Zealand and Australia to export their beer there in Kegstar kegs.

Kegstar first launched in December 2012 with 880 kegs, one person and one customer. Brambles – a pooling solutions company that specialises in the provision of reusable pallets, crates and containers – acquired a 30 per cent stake in March 2014 and has since then, grown its keg pool from 15,000 to in excess of 50,000 stainless steel kegs. Under Brambles’ ownership, Kegstar will continue to operate as a stand-along business and current employees, including Managing Director Adam Trippe-Smith will retain their positions, continuing to lead the company through to its next phase.

“I am excited and proud that Brambles has recognised the unique business that my team has created over an extraordinarily short period of time”, Trippe-Smith said commenting on the acquisition. “We now look forward to tapping into the global asset pooling knowledge and network of the entire Brambles group to take Kegstar to the next level. It’s now game on!”

Brambles Chief Financial Officer Zlatko Todorcevski added: “When Brambles first invested in Kegstar in March 2014, we saw it as an exciting and innovative business with a great team that was gaining traction in the fast-growing craft beer and cider market. We didn’t have a presence in keg pooling, but definitely identified the potential to add value, not just through financial investment, but also with Brambles’ supply-chain expertise and global network. Having seen what the Kegstar team has achieved since then, it was an easy decision to take the step of acquiring the company. Brambles will fully support Adam and his team as they take Kegstar forward.”

Kegstar will launch its specialist keg pooling business in the UK in February next year, before expanding operations into mainland Europe. Building on success in Australia and New Zealand, the European business will also feature Kegstar’s innovative keg-tracking platform and the unique pay-per-fill offering, whereby Kegstar collects the empty kegs from the licensed venue.

Just as the expansion will provide opportunity for New Zealand and Australian brewers to export to the UK, Kegstar says it will also enable UK brewers to export their beer to Australia and New Zealand.

Image: Kegstar team members, Sam Maitland, Business Development Manager ANZ and Joe Cook, COO ANZ at the headquarters.