Global supply-chain logistics company Brambles has moved from 30% to 100% ownership of Kegstar Holdings Pty Limited, after acquiring the shareholdings from its owners.
Under Brambles’ ownership, Kegstar will continue to operate as a stand-alone business, with the MD and the Kegstar team remaining in place to continue business.
The first stage of Kegstar’s global expansion will be the establishment of its European operations.
Kegstar will launch a specialist keg pooling business in the UK in February 2016 and then expand operations into Europe.
Building on success in Australia and New Zealand, the European business will also feature Kegstar’s keg-tracking platform and the pay-per-fill offering, whereby Kegstar collects the empty kegs from the licensed venue.
Customers in Australia and New Zealand can also export their beer to the UK in Kegstar kegs and UK brewers to export their beer to Australia and New Zealand in Kegstar kegs.
“When Brambles first invested in Kegstar in March 2014, we saw it as an exciting and innovative business with a great team that was gaining traction in the fast-growing craft beer and cider market,” says Brambles CFO Zlatko Todorcevski.
“We didn’t have a presence in keg pooling, but definitely identified the potential to add value, not just through financial investment, but also with Brambles’ supply-chain expertise and global network.”
Kegstar first launched in December 2012 with 880 kegs, one person and one customer.
Brambles acquired a 30% stake in March 2014, and since then Kegstar has grown its keg pool from 15,000 to now in excess of 50,000 stainless steel kegs in Australia, New Zealand and the UK).
The company employs 13 people and has annualized sales revenue of approximately A$3 million (US$2.19 million).
Kegstar works with 140 brewers, 75 distribution partners and 1,500 venues in Australia and New Zealand.
As part of its keg tracking solution, Kegstar kegs have been scanned more than 500,000 times.
