Nichols’ sales are fizzing up 6.9 per cent in the UK, compared to growth across the market of just 0.8 per cent
Drink maker Nichols reported its sales are growing faster than those of the UK's overall soft drinks market due to Vimto's strong performance and a new acquisition.
Sales in the UK increased by 6.9 per cent against the previous year to £90.7m. That was driven by sales of Vimto, which were up five per cent on the prior year, and the acquisition of The Noisy Drinks Company, a brand of iced drinks.
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That's a long way ahead of Britain's soft drinks market, which grew by 0.8 per cent in the year to 3 December 2016, according to research firm Nielsen.
Nichols' revenue for the year has increased by 7.3 per cent to a total of £117.3m. International sales grew by 8.8 per cent to £26.6m, an increase of £2.2m against 2015.
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With this performance, Nichols expects full-year profit and earnings per share to be in line with expectations and ahead of the previous year.
Analysts at N+1 Singer said the company's diversified strategy helped deliver this year's strong growth, but refrained from forecasting changes for the years to come until more clarification on cost headwinds is given.
The company sells brands including Feel Good, Starslush, Levi Roots and Sunkist in more than 85 countries. Its preliminary results will be announced 2 March.
Read more: Nichols posts sweet rise in sales