Can you tell us a little of the history of your brand?
Kestrel Lager has a proud heritage that dates back to the 1970’s and 80’s, when it was one of the UK’s most popular beer brands. During this time, it became a household name thanks to its much-loved advertising campaigns featuring comedians and actors Hugh Laurie and Russ Abbot. Kestrel maintained a loyal following through the years, remaining a firm favourite among discerning beer drinkers.
In 2012, recognising the brand’s enduring quality and untapped potential, Nigel McNally made the bold decision to acquire Kestrel Lager and establish the Kestrel Brewing Company. Under his stewardship, Kestrel embarked on a journey of premiumisation, with significant investment into marketing, including a television commercial campaign on Comedy Central that reintroduced the brand to a modern audience.
Today, Kestrel stands stronger than ever. It proudly holds the title of Scotland’s oldest independent lager brand, the UK’s number one selling 9% lager brand, and one of the country’s top-selling independently owned lagers. This success reflects Kestrel’s deep commitment to quality, tradition, and the ability to evolve to meet the tastes of today’s consumers, while honouring its remarkable legacy.
How much is the beer category worth?
The UK beer market is worth over £10 billion annually and continues to be one of the most dynamic and competitive FMCG categories. While many brands are fighting for share within mainstream lager or craft, we’re carving out our own lane — leading the strong beer category, which is showing strong growth as consumers seek better value, fuller flavour, and a premium experience.
How is Kestrel performing as a brand?
Kestrel is performing exceptionally well and leading our category with real authority. We have seen significant growth across the business, with overall brand performance up by around 30% — a clear testament to the strength of our positioning and the loyalty of our customers.
In particular, we are seeing excellent traction in the wholesale and convenience channels, where Kestrel’s reputation for quality and strong margin delivery makes it a standout choice for trade partners. Our strategic crossover into motorsport is also creating fresh demand and brand visibility, connecting with new audiences who value authenticity, performance, and tradition — all values that Kestrel represents.
At draught locations, we are not only holding our ground but out-performing major competitors like Carlsberg in several key sites, proving that independent, premium quality brands can thrive when backed by the right strategy and passion.
Kestrel’s continued success reflects our commitment to both tradition and innovation, and we are proud to see the brand growing stronger year after year.
What is driving this performance?
First, our product speaks for itself. Kestrel is brewed using a unique and meticulous method that delivers bold flavour, quality, and authenticity at its core. Award winning products like Kestrel Super Premium and Kestrel Extra are renowned for their bold strength, appealing to consumers who seek fuller-flavoured, stronger beers. However, as a brand, we recognise that today’s drinkers have diverse preferences, which is why we cater to all strength profiles and tastes, offering a range of products to suit different drinking occasions and customer needs.
Second, our branding stands out. In a market where many beer brands rely heavily on traditional ‘heritage and hops’ narratives, Kestrel has forged a different path — bold, clean, and confident. Our modern branding speaks to today’s consumers, who are looking for brands that reflect individuality, strength of character, and a fresh approach to tradition.
Third, our marketing doesn’t just support the brand — it builds culture. Our automotive strategy is central to this. Through initiatives such as The Flying Kestrel — our record-breaking race car — and high-profile activations at Santa Pod Raceway, we have built a world around the brand that is aspirational, energetic, and authentic. This isn’t passive sponsorship; it’s a strategic alignment that lives the values Kestrel embodies: performance, passion, and a pursuit of excellence.
Crucially, this approach is delivering tangible results. Our automotive-led marketing is clearly resonating in the wholesale and independent sectors, where Kestrel’s association with performance and lifestyle culture helps the brand stand out in competitive environments. While the strength of performance across our SKUs varies, with Kestrel 9% driving the majority of growth, our overall range continues to build momentum and reinforce our category leadership.
From a wholesale perspective, we pride ourselves on more than just the quality of our products — we offer a genuine partnership. Our customers enjoy working with Kestrel because they know they’re dealing with experienced, knowledgeable, and approachable people. Our team brings deep industry expertise but combines it with a friendly, responsive service ethos that ensures every customer feels valued and supported.
Whether it’s helping with product recommendations, marketing support, or simply making the ordering process as smooth as possible, our partners can have peace of mind knowing they are working with a team that understands their business and is invested in their success.
Kestrel today isn’t just about great beer — it’s about offering an experience and a partnership that customers and consumers alike want to be part of. The results speak for themselves: growth, loyalty, and a brand that continues to capture the imagination.
Kestrel beers are crafted using the Holy Brewing Method. Can you explain a bit about this process?
The Holy Brewing Method is a traditional, time-honoured process that slows down fermentation to allow the beer to develop maximum depth and character. At Kestrel, we ferment for a full seven days — including the Sabbath — using only the finest ingredients and lower temperatures to nurture a smoother, richer taste. Our overall brewing process is approximately 28 days, 4 times longer than well-known mainstream lager brands.
This longer and costly brewing approach allows the beer to mature fully before packaging, resulting in a fuller, more satisfying flavour profile. The result is a genuinely super premium beer that speaks for itself.
What are your predictions for the category in 2025?
We see a continuation of premiumisation — but not necessarily in the traditional craft beer sense.
Consumers want quality and authenticity, but they’re also looking for value, simplicity, and standout brands. The days of confusing beer shelves are fading.
While the industry continues to experience ABV reductions — or ‘drinkflation’ — in response to rising duty rates, we also expect stronger beers to gain further traction, especially those that offer bold flavour and a clear, confident brand identity. The rise of experience-led marketing and lifestyle crossovers will play an even bigger role in brand growth.
Stronger beers service the need for drinkers who want to drink better but have less volume overall.
What marketing activity do you have planned to support Kestrel?
At Kestrel, we don’t believe in playing it safe. While most beer brands in our space rely on dusty branding and traditional marketing, we’re unapologetically bold — and our marketing reflects that.
Our plan for 2025 is to double down on what makes Kestrel different: living our Be Bold mantra through disruptive, high-impact activations. This includes continuing to invest in The Flying Kestrel — our record-breaking race car — and deepening our involvement in motorsport events like Santa Pod, where we connect with a passionate, legal-age audience that many traditional beer brands fail to reach. In addition, we’ve developed original motorsport content through Kestrel TV — a brand-led video series that has already reached over 500,000 viewers.
These are not just stunts — they’re strategic brand-building moments that create real loyalty, excitement, and demand at the point of purchase. In a category that can often feel stale, we offer retailers and wholesalers a brand with genuine energy, a standout story, and a clear competitive advantage.
Ultimately, Kestrel’s marketing doesn’t just drive awareness — it makes the product easier to sell, builds stronger margins, and brings theatre to the shelf. That’s how we’ll continue to win in 2025 and beyond.
What can Kestrel offer wholesalers?
At Kestrel, we’re very clear: we’re not just offering wholesalers another beer — we’re offering them a commercial win. Kestrel beer is a must stock beer!
Our standout brand identity, unique product formats, and disruptive marketing strategy give wholesalers a genuine story that’s easy to sell — whether that’s in retail, convenience, or on-trade. Kestrel isn’t just a product on a shelf; it’s a talking point, and that makes a real difference when it comes to driving purchase.
We actively support sell-through with high-quality point-of-sale materials, tailored promotions, and creative activations that encourage trial and repeat purchase. We also understand that wholesalers need partners who are flexible and responsive — and that’s exactly how we operate. We’re nimble, proactive, and easy to work with, which is crucial when priorities shift quickly across the channel.
Crucially, Kestrel also caters to premium drinkers. Our range includes higher ABV options that sit perfectly in premium space, helping wholesalers achieve better margins. And because our reputation is built on genuine quality and flavour — not gimmicks — we attract consumers who are willing to spend more and spend more often.
In short, Kestrel offers wholesalers a brand with momentum, standout appeal, and the tools needed to drive real commercial success.
How is Kestrel trying to be mindful of its impact on the environment?
We’re mindful that consumers and trade partners expect more from brands, and rightly so. We’ve moved towards more sustainable packaging across the range and are constantly reviewing our supply chain and logistics partners to reduce carbon impact.
We also support longer-term plans to invest in green initiatives connected to our event activations. We’re also investing in green energy at our head office.
How can wholesalers maximise lager sales?
To maximise lager sales, wholesalers need to focus on three key areas: offering the right range, backing brands with real pull, and making it easy for retailers to sell through.
That starts with having a balance of trusted favourites and bold, standout options. Kestrel is a must-stock brand in that regard — we lead the strong beer category, deliver exceptional margins, and bring a premium feel without the complexity of craft. Our standout branding and marketing cut through the noise, helping retailers drive footfall and increase basket spend.
Wholesalers can also boost performance by cross-merchandising with food pairings, offering mixed-format packs for different shopper missions, and using point-of-sale material that tells a clear story at shelf — all areas where Kestrel provides full support.
In a competitive category, it’s not just about stocking lager — it’s about stocking the right lager. Kestrel gives wholesalers a proven performer with brand power, flexibility, and sell-through support built in.
Comments are closed.