Nottinghamshire’s largest independent brewery, Springhead, is celebrating an 800% growth in demand for its reciprocal trading business from December 2009 to February 2010 as a result of an intensified firkin swapping campaign.

Like many small breweries Springhead has long been involved in a barrel exchange system with other like-minded breweries. This co-operative effect enables them to forge long-lasting relationships with both free houses and pub groups and introduces the breweries to a wider geographical audience. In the last six months Springhead has increased the number of breweries it trades with tenfold and is now guaranteed £100, 000 in gross sales for the coming year.

The end of 2009 and the start of 2010 has been witness to some of the largest developments to Springhead’s marketing activity, including a complete re-brand and the appointment of and North-East agent and two new sales managers, one of whom is National Accounts Manager, Phil Owen who has been the driving force behind the successes of the beer swap.

The initiative sees Springhead swapping a mix of its five core beers, including its most popular beer, Roaring Meg, and a specially selected monthly brew from its larger selection of 12 further beers with other similar microbreweries belonging to SIBA, The Society of Independent Brewers. Each microbrewery then has a range of different beers from all around the country with which to trade, selling them on to their regular suppliers, pubs and pub groups. Each beer from the Springhead portfolio is created from an entirely separate recipe to focus on different strengths, colours and flavours to account for different tastes across the UK. Springhead plans to trade with 40 other breweries in 2010 stretching from Newcastle to Cornwall.

As well as the obvious benefits it brings, such as increasing the presence of Springhead’s beers, and those of the other participating breweries’, in real ale pubs around the country, this co-operative effect leads to efficiencies in haulage, reduced costs for both parties and casks are returned quicker than average. In addition, Springhead is able to support the pub groups by supplying its newly rebranded point of sale materials as well as, for instance, regular “meet the brewery” nights held in their pubs.

Springhead’s Managing Director, Helen Teasdale has said: “The beginning of 2010 has been quite tough for the pub trade, with the poor weather affecting sales, so I am delighted that things seem to be looking up. The team at Springhead has really got behind the beer swapping and I hope that the new drinkers who are being introduced to the brand up and down the country enjoy it as much as our regulars.”

Springhead bottled beers are available in Morrison’s nationally and regionally in Waitrose, The Co-op, Asda, Majestic, and Tesco’s supermarkets.

For further stockist details please call 01636 821 000. Springhead Brewery encourages you to enjoy its products in moderation.