current A.G. Barr logo
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|
Public | |
Traded as | : |
Industry | Beverages |
Founded | 1875 |
Founder | Robert Barr |
Headquarters | Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, Scotland |
Key people
|
Ronnie Hanna, Chairman Roger White, Chief Executive |
Products |
Irn-Bru Rubicon Tizer Red Kola Barr Cola D'n'B KA American Cream Soda Cherryade Saint Clement's Lemonade Ginger beer Limeade Lipton Iced Tea Shandy Raspberryade Appleade Bubblegum |
Revenue | £260.9 million (2015) |
£42.1 million (2015) | |
£30.0 million (2015) | |
Number of employees
|
930 (2015) |
Website | www.agbarr.co.uk |
A.G. Barr plc, commonly known as Barr's, is a Scottish soft drink manufacturer, based in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It manufactures the popular Scottish drink, Irn-Bru. It is listed on the and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.
The company was founded in 1875 by Robert Barr in Falkirk. In 1887 his son, Robert Fulton Barr, set up a division of the original company in Glasgow, which had a much larger population. In 1892 the Glasgow branch passed to Andrew Greig Barr (where the name A.G Barr comes from), a brother of the founder of that branch. Irn-Bru was launched in 1901. The Falkirk and Glasgow divisions merged in 1959. The company was first listed on the in 1965. In 1972, the Tizer brand was purchased. 1980 saw the introduction of Low Calorie Irn-Bru: this changed its name in 1991 to Diet Irn-Bru, and then in 2010 to Irn-Bru sugar free. In 2001 the company acquired Findlays Mineral Water which is sourced in the Lammermuir Hills.
In 2002 Roger White joined A. G. Barr as managing director and in 2004 became Barr's first ever non-family chief executive.
The Company acquired Forfar-based Strathmore Mineral Water in May 2006. The Irn-Bru 32 energy drink variant was launched in 2006. In 2008 the company purchased the Taut sports drink range and exotic fruit drink company Rubicon.
On 14 November 2012 the Company agreed to merge with Britvic, which produces drinks like J2O, Tango and Robinsons, as well as holding the authority to produce Pepsi for the UK market, to create one of Europe's largest soft drinks companies. On 11 July 2013, AG Barr Chairman Ronnie Hanna announced that the proposed merger of Britvic and AG Barr had been abandoned.