Russell Scanlan Brews up for a Centenary Celebration
Russell Scanlan, Nottingham’s largest independent insurance broker, is celebrating a significant milestone for the business – the signing of its 100th customer to its high growth Masterbrew service, a tailored product developed specifically for the micro-brewing industry in the UK.
The 100th customer, award-winning Backyard Brewhouse, Walsall, was founded in 2008 by brewers Austen Morgan and Michael Bates, has built a very successful business as its reputation and acclaimed ales spread further afield from its West Midlands base.
Austen Morgan said: “The right insurance for a business of this size is essential. Our policy has to cover the operation as well as some very bespoke industry specific needs. We did a lot of shopping around and spoke to several companies that offer brewing packages but for us, Russell Scanlan’s approach really stood out, for both service and product. The team there really seemed to be on our wavelength and understood the challenges we face as a small producer in an increasingly busy industry and packaged the right solutions to suit us. The relationship is built on trust and that’s important to us. We don’t need or want to be insurance specialists, so our supplier needs to be both advisor and partner. We have that with Russell Scanlan and know that they understand that our policy has to stretch and flex alongside the peaks of our growth.
“To take an example, the Masterbrew package has liability cover extended to include the beer festivals and farmers’ markets which we regularly attend. Now that really is specialist service and demonstrated an understanding of our industry that was enough to secure our business.”
Mike Dickinson is Sales & Marketing Director at Russell Scanlan: “Backyard Brewhouse is our ideal Masterbrew customer – great product, great attitude to the industry, plans for growth and looking for close relationships with suppliers that take a proactive approach to business. We plan to celebrate our 200th Masterbrew customer in the next 12 months so we are already looking to the future to predict the needs of the fast growing brewery industry to find solutions before they are needed.”
The UK microbrewery sector remains a buoyant industry, with 82 per cent of beer sold in Britain made in Britain. 1 The Good Beer Guide 2015 reports that there are now 1,285 breweries operating in Britain, which works out at one for every 50,000 people – the largest number since the 1930s and 1940s. 2
