UK: A specialised Suffolk brewery based in St Peter's is aiming to increase its sales to £10m within the next five years. Bosses at St Peter's Brewery, in South Elmham, near Bungay, are confident that they are in a strong position to increase exports and take advantage of a neglected market. Having recently expanded the brewery to include new equipment that has doubled capacity and significantly increased bottling speeds, they feel the fivefold growth target is within their grasp. "We have seen over the last few months how our investments are beginning to pay off," said chairman John Murphy. "We are tremendously confident that we have things together."

The brewery, which was established in 1996 and is set inside a 13th-century manor house, prides itself on its quality full-bodied bottled beers, made using the house's own water source and traditional methods. 90% of its output is in bottled beers, of which approximately half are exported. Mr Murphy said he believed there was a great potential for the British brewer to expand in foreign bottled beer markets. The brewery exports to the USA, Canada, Sweden, Russia and, since this year, Italy.

Within the last few months, it has enjoyed yet more success after receiving orders from a Danish beer importer, who had sampled its ale at the prestigious Anuga food and drink fair in Germany. The initial order was for three pallets only, but now the contract is worth in the region of £30,000 to £40,000 per year. Mr Murphy said the company's exports were going "brilliantly", though they were always looking for new markets, including France, Germany and Spain.

Part of the reason, he said, was that most British beer-makers did not take much notice of foreign markets, with no more than 1pc of beer manufactured in the UK being exported. However, there was a big demand for British-style beers abroad. "The very differentiated and wide range of beers are appealing in other markets," he said. With its new and improved equipment and its eyes set on foreign markets, St Peter's Brewery is in a strong position to take advantage of the gap in the market. "We have the opportunity to massively increase our sales in a short time," said Mr Murphy.

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