A.G. Barr plc, commonly known as Barr's, is a
soft drink
A soft drink (see § Terminology for other names) is a drink that usually contains water (often carbonated), a sweetener, and a natural and/or artificial flavoring. The sweetener may be a sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice, a su ...
manufacturer based in
Cumbernauld
Cumbernauld (; gd, Comar nan Allt, meeting of the streams) is a large town in the historic county of Dunbartonshire and council area of North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is the tenth most-populous locality in Scotland and the most populated t ...
, Scotland. It is widely known for manufacturing the drink
Irn-Bru
Irn-Bru ( "iron brew", ) is a Scottish carbonated soft drink, often described as "Scotland's other national drink" (after whisky). Introduced in 1901, the drink is produced in Westfield, Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, by A.G. Barr of Glasgow ...
. It is listed on the
London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange (LSE) is a stock exchange in the City of London, England, United Kingdom. , the total market value of all companies trading on LSE was £3.9 trillion. Its current premises are situated in Paternoster Square close to St Pau ...
and is a constituent of the
FTSE 250 Index
The FTSE 250 Index ( "Footsie") is a capitalisation-weighted index consisting of the 101st to the 350th largest companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. Promotions and demotions to and from the index occur quarterly in March, June, Septemb ...
.
History
The company was founded in 1875 by Robert Barr in
Falkirk
Falkirk ( gd, An Eaglais Bhreac, sco, Fawkirk) is a large town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland, historically within the county of Stirlingshire. It lies in the Forth Valley, northwest of Edinburgh and northeast of Glasgow.
Falkirk had a ...
.
In 1887, his son, Robert Fulton Barr, set up a division of the original company in
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, which had a much larger population.
[ In 1892 the Glasgow branch passed to Andrew Greig Barr (where the name A.G. Barr comes from), a brother of the branch's founder.][ In 1899, they soft launched Irn Bru, eventually launching it in 1901. The Falkirk and Glasgow divisions merged in 1959, and the company was listed on the ]London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange (LSE) is a stock exchange in the City of London, England, United Kingdom. , the total market value of all companies trading on LSE was £3.9 trillion. Its current premises are situated in Paternoster Square close to St Pau ...
in 1965.[
In 1972, A.G. Barr acquired the ]Tizer
Tizer is a red-coloured, citrus-flavoured soft drink bottled in Cumbernauld and sold in the United Kingdom. The name originally comes from the phrase "Tizer the Appetizer". It was launched in 1924 by Fred and Tom Pickup of Pudsey when it was k ...
brand. In 2001 the company acquired Findlays Mineral Water which is sourced in the Lammermuir Hills
The Lammermuirs are a range of hills in southern Scotland, forming a natural boundary between East Lothian and the Borders. The name "Lammermuir" comes from the Old English ''lambra mōr'', meaning "moorland of the lambs".
Geology
The Lammer ...
. In 2002, Roger White joined A.G. Barr as managing director, and in 2004 became the first chief executive from outside the Barr family.
The Company acquired Forfar
Forfar ( sco, Farfar, gd, Baile Fharfair) is the county town of Angus, Scotland and the administrative centre for Angus Council, with a new multi-million pound office complex located on the outskirts of the town. As of 2021, the town has a p ...
-based Strathmore Mineral Water in May 2006. The Irn-Bru 32 energy drink variant was launched in 2006.[ In 2008 the company purchased the Taut sports drink range] and exotic fruit drink company Rubicon
The Rubicon ( la, Rubico; it, Rubicone ; rgn, Rubicôn ) is a shallow river in northeastern Italy, just north of Rimini.
It was known as Fiumicino until 1933, when it was identified with the ancient river Rubicon, famously crossed by Julius Ca ...
.
In November 2012, the company agreed to merge with Britvic
Britvic plc is a British producer of soft drinks based in Hemel Hempstead, England. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. It produces soft drinks under its own name, and several other brands.
Hist ...
, which produces drinks like J2O
J2O is a still soft drink made from fruit juices. It is manufactured by Britvic and sold in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Its launch in 1998 was led by Sheraz Dar who joined Britvic in 1994, and was aimed at providing an alternative solutio ...
, Tango
Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...
and Robinsons, as well as holding the authority to produce Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961.
History
Pepsi was ...
for the UK market, to create one of Europe's largest soft drinks companies. The merger was abandoned in July 2013.
In December 2022, the company acquired Boost Drinks
Boost Drinks Limited is a British drinks company that sells primarily energy and sports drinks through convenience stores, independent retail chains and petrol forecourts. It was established in 2001 and is headquartered in Leeds.
History
Th ...
for £20 million from founders Simon and Alison Gray.
Operations
A.G. Barr produces a variety of soft drinks from production sites at Cumbernauld
Cumbernauld (; gd, Comar nan Allt, meeting of the streams) is a large town in the historic county of Dunbartonshire and council area of North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is the tenth most-populous locality in Scotland and the most populated t ...
, Forfar
Forfar ( sco, Farfar, gd, Baile Fharfair) is the county town of Angus, Scotland and the administrative centre for Angus Council, with a new multi-million pound office complex located on the outskirts of the town. As of 2021, the town has a p ...
and Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes ( ) is a city and the largest settlement in Buckinghamshire, England, about north-west of London. At the 2021 Census, the population of its urban area was over . The River Great Ouse forms its northern boundary; a tributary ...
. Irn-Bru was launched in 1901.
Brands
*Boost Drinks
Boost Drinks Limited is a British drinks company that sells primarily energy and sports drinks through convenience stores, independent retail chains and petrol forecourts. It was established in 2001 and is headquartered in Leeds.
History
Th ...
energy and sports drink acquired in December 2022
*Irn-Bru
Irn-Bru ( "iron brew", ) is a Scottish carbonated soft drink, often described as "Scotland's other national drink" (after whisky). Introduced in 1901, the drink is produced in Westfield, Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, by A.G. Barr of Glasgow ...
Scotland's most popular soft drink
*Tizer
Tizer is a red-coloured, citrus-flavoured soft drink bottled in Cumbernauld and sold in the United Kingdom. The name originally comes from the phrase "Tizer the Appetizer". It was launched in 1924 by Fred and Tom Pickup of Pudsey when it was k ...
bought in 1972
*Barr Flavours including Cola, Lemonade, Limeade and Cherryade
*Bundaberg
Bundaberg is a city in the Bundaberg Region, Queensland, Australia, and is the tenth largest city in the state. Bundaberg's regional area has a population of 70,921, and is a major centre of the Wide Bay–Burnett geographical region. The Bun ...
(manufactured under license for the UK and Ireland markets)
*D'N'B dandelion and burdock
Dandelion and burdock is a beverage consumed in the British Isles since the Middle Ages. It was originally a type of light mead but over the years has evolved into the carbonated soft drink commercially available today. Traditionally, it was mad ...
*KA
*OMJ!
*Rubicon Drinks
Rubicon Exotic Juices (Rubicon Food Products Limited) is a beverage manufacturer based in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. The company specializes in producing juice drinks from exotic fruits.
Events
Rubicon in 2010 won M award for the favouri ...
* San Benedetto soft drinks (manufactured under license for the UK market)
*Simply Fruity
*Snapple
Snapple is a brand of tea and juice drinks which is owned by Keurig Dr Pepper and based in Plano, Texas, United States. The company (and brand), which was originally known as Unadulterated Food Products, was founded in 1972. The brand achieved som ...
(manufactured under license for the UK and Ireland markets)
*Strathmore Scottish spring water
*Sun Exotic
*Xyber energy drinks
References
External links
Official site
{{FTSE 250 Index constituents
British companies established in 1875
Companies based in North Lanarkshire
Companies listed on the London Stock Exchange
Family-owned companies of Scotland
Food and drink companies established in 1875
Drink companies of Scotland
Scottish brands
Soft drinks manufacturers
1875 establishments in Scotland