A SMALL brewery in Teignbridge has been given a funding ‘top-up’ which could see its production boosted by 40 per cent.

Family-run Red Rock Brewery, Bishopsteignton, is fizzing with expansion plans after the financial boost from the South West Growth Fund.

The £15,000 bonus will help towards extending the company’s limited output which has hampered its success supplying major supermarket chains – one of which it had to pull out of because it could not keep up with demand.

Red Rock raised £68,000 through peer-to-peer lending to renovate its complex of old farm buildings.

Now the extra cash will speed up the works, as well as allowing the business to install an automated bottling facility to quicken production.

And it will enjoy a small jobs boost with two permanent members of sales and marketing staff being taken on.

The brewery is already adding a mezzanine floor to its fermentation facility, which is housed in a 300-year-old barn.

It is also working with The World Institute of Slowness to develop four ‘slow’ beers with the aim of achieving a special accreditation, a requirement many supermarkets now demand.

Red Rock Brewery pulled out of a supply arrangement with one major supermarket because it was unable to produce enough to meet demands.

By expanding its space and moving away from bottling beers by hand, the brewery has high hopes of increasing national sales.

John Parkes, who runs the outfit with his son Lewis and daughter Hollie, said: ‘The South West Growth Fund grant is helping us to produce our beers more efficiently, as well as growing the business by investing in marketing and sales staff.

‘The demand for our real ales is there, but we have been struggling to meet it.

‘We’ve got so many good ideas, but we’ve had to rein ourselves in.

‘The improvements we are now making to our brew house and bottling line will allow us to increase production by up to 40 per cent.’

The £8.7 million South West Growth Fund was launched last year by Plymouth University’s Gain team, SWMAS Ltd, South West Water Business Services and the Western Morning News.

CHEERS to expansion… Red Rock Brewery’s John Parkes (seated) with his team – from left – Lewis Parkes, Hollie Lang and Ollie Cuddy.