Manchester’s Supreme PLC has acquired the trade and assets of Sunderland’s Clearly Drinks, an acquisition which broadens Supreme’s product range and brings non-vape annualised sales to over £100 million (£250 million, including the group’s vaping division).
Clearly is a long-established, independently run manufacturer of canned and bottled-at-source spring water and soft drinks. The company supplies approximately 70 customers nationwide, including major UK retailers such as Waitrose, Aldi, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Farm Foods.
Founded in 1885, Clearly Drinks offers a wide range of products, including still and sparkling spring water, energy drinks, isotonic vitamin drinks, flavoured spring water, juices, coffee-based beverages, and mixers and tonics. Leading brands include Perfectly Clear, Northumbria Spring, and Revolution Waves.
The business operates from a 150,000 sq. ft. freehold site with three natural spring water boreholes capable of accessing up to 300 million litres of fresh spring water. The facility employs around 100 people and features a new fully automated can line capable of producing 350m canned drinks per year and packaging products in glass or PET bottles.
Clearly Drinks joins Supreme’s consumer goods portfolio, including vaping, lighting, batteries and sports nutrition & wellness categories.
“We are delighted to be acquiring Clearly, a high-quality manufacturer and brand owner of soft drinks, which I believe delivers a significant component of our broader diversification strategy,” said Sandy Chadha, CEO of Supreme. “Our enlarged business is not only gaining a strong additional pillar, which fully aligns with our Vaping, Lighting, Batteries and Sports Nutrition & Wellness categories, but also a significant opportunity to develop and capitalise on further cross and upsell opportunities which our trusted reputation across the UK retail space facilitates.”
For the year ended 31 December 2023, Clearly Drinks reported (unaudited) revenue of £22.4m and Adjusted EBITDA of £3m, with further growth anticipated for the year ending 31 December 2024.
The acquisition, for a reported £15m from private equity investor NorthEdge, will immediately enhance Supreme’s balance sheet.
