Keystone Brewery Group, owner of several established British brewing brands, has been saved from administration through a GBP 6.5m takeover by the newly formed Great British Drinks Company. The transaction secures around 145 jobs and ensures that three core brewery sites will continue operating.
Keystone, previously known as BrealGroup, had filed repeated notices of intention to appoint administrators in November 2025 and again in January 2026 after coming under increasing pressure from trade creditors. Despite earlier stabilisation efforts supported by FRP Advisory, the group reached a critical point at the start of the year, prompting a pre-packaged sale.
The acquiring Great British Drinks Company is backed by Paramount Retail Group and operates through Saltaire Brewery, which it has run since 2024. Under the deal, Keystone-owned breweries including Black Sheep Brewery, Purity, Magic Rock, Fourpure, Brew By Numbers, Brick Brewery and North Brewing will continue trading. The new owners have stressed that their strategy is focused on stewardship and regional identity rather than further consolidation.
Co-founder Sunny Sharma described the acquisition as a “restoration deal”, confirming a further GBP 2m investment plan to revitalise the businesses. While all three existing brewery sites will be maintained, production of several former London brands will be relocated to Masham to improve operational efficiency. Combined annual sales of the enlarged group are reported at around GBP 28m.
Keystone had been led by Steve Cox, who joined the business last year with an ambition to build a GBP 100m annual sales business by 2028. However, declining beer consumption, rising costs and a deteriorating trading environment for pubs made this target increasingly difficult to achieve. Industry data show that more than 200 pubs were demolished or converted to alternative uses during the first half of 2025 alone, underlining the structural challenges facing the sector.
The Keystone portfolio also includes licences for brands such as Hofmeister and Sassy Cider, although the new owners have not yet outlined how these will be integrated going forward. FRP Advisory welcomed the outcome, noting that the transaction secures continuity for employees, customers and suppliers and allows brewing operations to continue without interruption.
