Rye River to create 150 new jobs
The new jobs will be created over three years and – along with an investment of €4 million into the new plant and visitor centre – will be worth an extra €12.5 million to the local economy.
The new positions will be spread across manufacturing, customer service, brewing, export, general operatives and management whilst up to 100 jobs will be generated in the construction of the new brewery plant and 8,000 sq ft visitor centre which it hopes to open in late Spring 2016, subject to planning.
The brewery was established in 2013 by Niall Phelan, Alan Wolfe and Tom Cronin having learned their craft with global brewing giants Diageo, Heineken and Molson Coors.
From a standing start in late 2013 the company has grown to almost 60 employees, producing a range of 15 beers including six of its own McGargle brand brand. The company also distribut es imported brands such as Bavaria and San Miguel along with craft beers from Innis & Gunn in Edinburgh. It supplies private label contracts with Lidl and some exclusive brands to Tesco and Dunnes Stores.
Company turnover increased from €189,000 in 2013 to €5.5 million in 2014 and it forecasts a further growth in turnover to €16 million by the end of 2015. Currently exporting to 14 countries, further growth is expected to come from the domestic market as well as additional targeting of the UK, US, European and Asian markets.
“Our production capability will treble to seven million litres from the current two million litres,” explained Founder Niall Phelan, “as we’ve outgrown our current brewery and importantly the investment will help us maintain the quality of our award-winning Irish craft beers that have helped to drive our expansion abroad.
“We’ve been lucky in that we’ve been profitable from 2014 and we’ve been able to use these profits, our own reserves and some borrowing to fund our existing successful operations and cap-ex.
“The popularity of our beers abroad is phenomenal and is the main reason for our expansion,” he continued.
