Derbyshire's Global Brands acquire Hooch - with plans for 30 more jobs in Clay Cross expansion

Global Brands has been producing the drinks under licence since 2012.

The company’s line-up now includes brands, such as VK, Hooch, All Shook Up, Shake Baby Shake, Beviamo!, Kick Energy, Lustre, Franklin and Sons premium soft drinks, sodas and tonics, and Amigos Tequila Beer.

Speaking to the Derbyshire Times, the founder and chairman of Global Brands, Steve Perez said: “It's a really important acquisition because Hooch is probably the most famous ‘ready-to-drink’ in the world, it really invented the category and for many years was my main competitor.

"We agreed a deal to distribute it and produce it on behalf of Molson Coors, but to actually buy such a big and famous brand - it's a very exciting project.”

Mr Perez added: “We've had a really good year this year, our turnover has increased to £90million and our brands have been performing extremely well over the last two years.

“Over the last five years we've gone from being a £40million company to over doubling the turnover of the business.”

Following increased demand for the company’s drinks portfolio, Global Brands is expanding the distribution centre, Clay Cross, due to be completed in January 2023.

Mr Perez said: “This is just the first phase in work to continue increasing capabilities at the site over the next two years. We plan to continue investing in our Global Brands Distribution Centre to the point where we can eventually hold one product for every person in the UK.

"We have worked with the County Council to acquire some additional land and that's going to add another 30 jobs to Clay Cross. Between the hotels and the drink business we employ over 400 people.”

Business doesn’t stop there for Mr Perez who is looking forward to 2023 and he has big plans.

He added: “As an entrepreneur I'm always looking for opportunities. We are going to be developing our hotel extension at Peak Edge in the next 12-months with a state-of-the-art spa, hoping to become the only five-star hotel in Derbyshire.

“We have recently been shortlisted to a prestigious publican award, which is a national award for the best premium food offer at the Red Lion and the best drinks offer at Barca Bar. We’ve also we have been shortlisted for the Peak District and Derbyshire Tourism Awards for hotel of the year and resilience and innovation award at Casa Hotel.

Mr Perez believes that the location of his drinks business is a big reason behind its success.

“We've had a very successful 2022 which has enabled us to invest in the future of the business. We're now one of the biggest employers in the area and it's good for the local economy, particularly for Chesterfield where our head office is, and Clay Cross where our distribution centre is,” he said.

“I really feel why one of the reasons we are successful is because in Chesterfield and Derbyshire, we've got fantastic people with a great work ethic, with an amazing location close to London and close to the Peak District. Having a business in Chesterfield, I think, is the UK’s best kept secret.”