Friends are ‘on the cusp’ of beer breakthrough
15th Feb 2008
By Ron Godfrey, York Press, 14th Feb 2008
ONCE they were fellow students sharing digs - later they joined the brewery trade together. Now Justin Horsman and Neil Robinson have a thriving Selby-based beer import company which is on the cusp of a boom.
Morrisons is the latest supermarket chain to take an exclusive order from their ten-month-old firm, Fullback (Imports) Ltd.
Justin Horsman, Left, and Neil Robinson, Right
The two men, operating out of Selby are hoping that their exclusive arrangement with Morrisons - involving three varieties of Kapuziner Wheat beer from Upper Franconia, Bavaria - could eventually translate into great returns.
The order is the latest sign of support from the big northern outlets such as Booths, Rythym & Booze, and Parfetts cash and carry.
But Tesco also jumped on to the Fullback beer wagon last July, when it took in shipments of Belgian Abbey-Style beer Peerdebrug Blond.
Justin and Neil are also finding big markets among pubs and bars for a variety of Eastern European beers - including Zagorka Special (Bulgaria's Number 1 beer) & Saku (the number 1 Estonian lager) which have both been snapped up by national wholesaler and distributor, Waverley TBS.
Meanwhile, because Justin was originally from Copmanthorpe and Neil was from Selby, the two men are determined to stay loyal to North Yorkshire.
They use logistics firm The Potter Group for transporting beer from Hull docks to Potters' Selby depot, where the goods are also stored. They also utilise locl logistics firm, H B Holt for all UK based customer deliveries.
Justin and Neil first met at the De Montfort University business school in Leicester, where they graduated on a marketing and management science course.
Justin then spent seven years at Bedford-based brewers Charles Wells, ending as a senior brand manager. Five years ago he was joined by Neil, who became a senior national accounts manager for the brewery, dealing with the likes of Asda, Morrisons and Somerfields.
Driven by their love of beer and a determination to strike out on their own, they formed Fullback (Imports) Ltd to take advantage of the growing thirst for foreign beers.
Even after their success to date, both men are modest, drawing a small wage a month to ensure the business always comes first, but Justin said: "We are on the cusp of a big breakthrough."
"We are very pleased, but also realistic. If a container of beer arriving at Hull docks costs £20,000, as much as £12,000 is paid in alcohol duty. On top of that are our distribution, storage and other costs.
"So the margins are very small and you have to rely on bulk sales. Now that is happening at last."