Tucked away in a far corner of Caerphilly’s Pontygwindy Industrial Estate is one of the town’s best kept secrets – its very own award-winning brewery.
Exporting to countries such as Canada, America, Germany, France, Switzerland, Japan and a host of others, it’s hard to believe that the Celt Experience does it all from its base on an industrial estate boasting a brickyard and a car wash.
“We moved to these premises in 2007,” said head brewer and owner Tom Newman. “We’ve hit about 30% growth each year for the last three years. It’s controlled growth though and we can’t take on all the business that’s coming our way – we are trying our hardest to keep up with demand.”
Of Caerphilly-descent but raised in the west country, Tom works alongside his wife Becky, whose role as head of sales sees her deal with customers such as Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons.
The retail market represents 15% of the company’s overall business. Last year it was 3%.
The brewery’s range of high-end organic beers and ales look more like wine bottles with their dark glass and labels.
The company’s cramped office walls are filled with award certificates and Tom, whose background is as a chartered water engineer, is clearly proud of them all stating that in the last three years the company has won 12 awards. The most recent was a gold at the Wales True Taste Food and Drink Awards.
It’s not just about winning awards – in a highly competitive market place, the bottom line relies upon shifting your product and Celt Experience sells a whopping 12,000 pints a weeks in bottles and barrels.
With so much flying out of the doors each week, it’s no surprise the company has its eye on expansion.
Tom, who has just qualified as Wales’ first Beer Academy Sommelier, said: “There are nine of us here at the moment and over the last three months we took on four full-time staff. We’re probably looking at two more over the next six months.
“We’re also taking over the unit next door in May.”
From a brewery in a small garage in 2003 to a world exporter almost a decade later, it’s a success story that most of Caerphilly could drink to.
Allways buy a good few Celt Bronze from local store, an ideal accompaniment to any Wales sporting fixture and exeptional when winning the Tripple Crown and Grand Slam. With the accolades already received Newmans Brewery are on a similar winning streak and justifiably so. It's also available in St Davids Deli too…
I wish Newman's Brewery every success. I contribute to their profits with a modest intake of their beer. They provide a decent range but my favourites are Wolvers and Red Castle. Let us all hope the company continues to grow and remains in the town.