(l to r) Mark Anderson, managing director of Maxim Brewery and Councillor Henry Trueman, Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council

Maxim Brewery in Sunderland is tasting national success following its first order from one of the UK’s leading restaurant and pub company, Mitchell and Butler, to supply its pubs across the country.

The order means that cask conditioned Double Maxim , first brewed in 1901, will be available in pubs outside the North of England for the first time.

It is the latest success for the brewery which set up at Rainton Bridge four years ago with help from Sunderland City Council to carry on the legacy of brewing in Sunderland.

Maxim Brewery managing director Mark Anderson, former financial director of Vaux Brewery, has led the company’s steady expansion to be one of the largest independent brewers in the North East.

Following the closure of Vaux and Wards breweries in 1999 the company purchased the Double Maxim, Samson, Lambtons and Wards beer brands and recipes and  with the flexible brewing facilities has built a reputation for creating new and special brews which have been snapped up by companies such as Wetherspoons.

Mark Anderson believes that Maxim Brewery owes a great deal to the active, commercially astute assistance of Sunderland City Council’s business investment team.

He said: “We looked far and wide for buildings which could take the complex requirements of a brewery. The City Council not only found us a perfect building, but gave us great advice, and took the time to understand exactly what we needed.

“The Council’s business investment team has kept up its relationship with us as we’ve grown, and they are always supportive. We’re delighted that, with their practical help, we’ve been able to bring back some of the North East’s best known beers at our Sunderland brewery. We’re a thriving small business and we feel part of the city, which is important to us.”

Maxim Brewery is now supplying supermarkets as well as pubs and restaurants with its popular range of beers which include new labels Swedish Blonde and Maximus.

It is currently selling 400,000 bottles of beer a year and its aim is to double that amount over the next couple of years. Maxim’s cask ale sales are also increasing which is giving the company the chance to introduce new brands to real ale pubs.

It is the only small UK brewery to send canned beer – Double Maxim – to China. Because Maxim can produce small introductory orders quickly and flexibly it is able to enter markets which are more difficult for larger breweries to incorporate. It also means that celebration brews such as its Stiff Tackle for the Rugby World Cup tour can be produced quickly and enjoyed at leisure by fans of participating rugby clubs and local cask ale pubs.

Tom Hurst, chief investment officer for Sunderland City Council said: “Maxim Brewery is a fantastic success story. It has grown steadily and strongly, with a strong vision for its future. Sunderland has a long, proud history of brewing in the city. Maxim’s talented brewers are ensuring that long-established brands such as Double Maxim, Lambtons and Samson are as popular as ever, and that excellent new brands extend the market and the interest in Maxim’s products.”