This specific project is an export growth project and it is envisaged that assistance in the areas outlined will address existing barriers to growth and facilitate the business to grow to a turnover level of £500,000 by year end 2013, an increase of 60% on the last trading year.
Bernard Sloan of Whitewater Brewery, the promoter, has applied to the rural programme for grant aid to assist in the purchase and installation of storage tanks and refrigeration units at their premises near Kilkeel. This equipment will allow them to store an additional 60000L of their finished product and greatly increase their capacity to meet the demands of their growing customer base.
Project Objectives:
1 Purchase equipment by 31 August 2011
2 Employ 1 additional full time employee by 31 October 2011
3 Employ 1 additional part time employee by 31 October 2012
4 Employ 1 additional full time employee by October 2014
The benefits from this project are expected to be: •Increase in local employment (2.5 f/t posts) •Increase in turnover •Increasing Northern Ireland exports •An increase in on-going works with local specialist contractors, suppliers eg. cardboard, glass etc •Tourism benefit – regular trips to Whitewater from visitors to Northern Ireland •Raising the profile of products from Northern Ireland in the UK and on the world stage
In a challenging economic climate Whitewater Brewery has shown in excess of 30% growth in sales for each of the last three years with employment changing from two to four full time staff during this period. The brewery has competed on the world stage and won the gold award in the 2009 International Beer Challenge for Belfast Lager.