Breaking Down A.G. BARR p.l.c. Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors

A.G. BARR p.l.c., founded in 1875, blends heritage and ambition across nine UK sites with around 895 employees and a portfolio of 15 brands - from Irn‑Bru to Boost - delivering a first half 2025/26 revenue uptick of £228 million (up 3%), while pursuing a mission to build great brands, behave responsibly and create value for shareholders, consumers and communities through initiatives like the 'No Time To Waste' programme, a commitment to cut carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, targeted investments such as the £10 million R&D push in 2024 for healthier innovation, plans to boost production efficiency by 20% by 2025, and ambitions to grow export sales by 30% by 2026 alongside disciplined capital allocation, integrity, sustainability and community giving.

A.G. BARR p.l.c. (BAG.L) - Intro

A.G. BARR p.l.c., established in 1875, is a Scottish soft drink manufacturer renowned for iconic brands such as Irn‑Bru, Tizer, Rubicon and Boost. The business operates across nine UK locations, employs approximately 895 people and serves domestic and export markets worldwide.

Overview

The group's portfolio comprises 15 brands offering a diverse range of great‑tasting products and ongoing innovation. In the first half of the 2025/26 financial year A.G. BARR reported a 3% increase in revenue to approximately £228 million, driven notably by strong performance from its Boost brand. The company pursues a disciplined approach to capital allocation, prioritising core brand growth and strategic acquisitions while maintaining responsible business practices.

• Founded: 1875
• UK sites: 9
• Employees: ~895
• Brands in portfolio: 15
• H1 2025/26 revenue: ≈ £228 million (+3% year‑on‑year)

Mission Statement

To create and market great‑tasting soft drinks that delight consumers, grow shareholder value through disciplined capital allocation, and operate responsibly toward people and the planet.

Vision

To be the UK's leading independent soft drink company known for iconic brands, sustained innovation, international reach and an uncompromising commitment to responsible business.

Core Values

• Integrity - honesty and transparency in actions and reporting
• Respect for the environment - reducing environmental impact across operations
• Support for healthy living - product choice and responsible marketing
• Community commitment - giving back and supporting local initiatives
• Entrepreneurial spirit - innovation, brand investment and disciplined growth

Operational and Financial Snapshot

Brand Portfolio (Representative)

• Irn‑Bru
• Tizer
• Rubicon
• Boost
• Other brands (total portfolio = 15)

Responsible Business and Governance

• Ethical conduct and integrity embedded across operations
• Environmental targets and initiatives to reduce waste and emissions
• Promotion of healthier choices and responsible marketing
• Community support and philanthropic activity

Further corporate background and detail on history, ownership and how the company operates can be found here: A.G. BARR p.l.c.: History, Ownership, Mission, How It Works & Makes Money

A.G. BARR p.l.c. (BAG.L) - Overview

• Strengthen and grow flagship brands (Irn‑Bru, Rubicon, Funkin, and other regional ranges).
• Drive innovation in product, packaging and routes-to-market to meet evolving consumer tastes.
• Deliver consistent, profitable revenue and margin expansion while controlling costs and improving efficiency.
• Accelerate sustainability initiatives to reduce environmental impact and meet stakeholder expectations.
• Foster a high-performance, inclusive culture with clear focus on safety, engagement and development.

• Consumer-first innovation: new SKUs, flavours and low-/no-sugar reformulations aimed at health-conscious segments.
• Retail and foodservice partnerships to expand distribution and premiumise channel presence.
• Acquisitions and licensing deals to broaden the brand portfolio and enter adjacent categories.
• Targets and programmes under the "No Time To Waste" sustainability agenda to reduce packaging impact and increase recycling.
• Employee-focused measures: diversity targets, engagement scores and learning & development investment.

• Packaging: drive to 100% recyclable packaging, increased use of recycled PET (rPET) in bottles and lightweighting to reduce plastics and carbon.
• Recycling & circularity: programmes with retailers and local schemes to boost collection and reuse targets.
• Carbon and water: operational targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and water intensity in manufacturing processes.
• Community & health: support for healthy-living initiatives, responsible marketing and community give-back schemes.

• Integrity & compliance: board oversight and policies for ethical conduct and regulatory compliance.
• Diversity & inclusion: commitments to broaden representation and measure employee engagement.
• Health & safety: site-level targets and reporting to reduce incidents and improve wellbeing.
• Shareholder value focus: disciplined capital allocation, dividend policy and M&A to enhance long-term returns.

• Organic growth through core brand investment, marketing and trade execution.
• Strategic acquisitions and partnerships to extend portfolio reach and capabilities.
• Channel diversification: stronger presence in convenience, on‑trade, e‑commerce and export markets.

A.G. BARR p.l.c. (BAG.L) - Mission Statement

• Ambition to be the UK leader in soft drinks by combining brand strength (e.g., IRN‑BRU), healthier product innovation and operational excellence.
• Commitment to measurable sustainability: reduce carbon footprint by 50% by 2030 relative to 2020 levels.
• Invest in R&D and new product development: targeted £10 million investment in 2024 focused on healthier options and unique flavours.
• Community and social responsibility: target to contribute £2 million annually to community projects through partnerships and local initiatives.
• Operational transformation: implement advanced manufacturing technologies to increase production efficiency by 20% by 2025.
• International growth: increase export sales by 30% by 2026, targeting high-growth regions.

• Sustainability: 50% carbon reduction target (2030 vs 2020 baseline) - integrating energy efficiency, renewable energy procurement and packaging improvements.
• Innovation & portfolio evolution: £10m dedicated product development in 2024 with specific focus areas of sugar reduction, functional variants and novel flavour development.
• Community investment: formal target of £2m annual contributions through grants, partnerships and in‑kind support to local projects.
• Manufacturing & efficiency: 20% uplift in production efficiency by 2025 via automation, predictive maintenance and data analytics to lower unit costs and waste.
• Export expansion: +30% export sales by 2026 driven by channel expansion and targeted market entries.

• Quality: consistent product standards across all channels and formats.
• Innovation: consumer-led product development and agile route-to-market.
• Sustainability: measurable environmental targets embedded in capital and operational planning.
• Community: local partnership focus and predictable social investment.
• Accountability: data-driven performance targets and transparent reporting.

• Manufacturing modernisation: phased automation rollout, digital twins and analytics to reduce downtime and material waste-supporting the 20% efficiency target.
• Product pipeline: allocate £10m in 2024 to accelerate low‑sugar, reduced‑calorie and functional beverage variants plus limited‑edition flavour innovation.
• Supply chain & packaging: increase recycled content and recyclability to support carbon and waste reduction goals.
• Market expansion plan: strengthen export route-to-market via strategic distributors and targeted marketing to achieve +30% export sales by 2026.
• Community programmes: structured funding and volunteering programmes to deliver £2m annual contribution target.

A.G. BARR p.l.c. (BAG.L) - Vision Statement

• Integrity - Transparent corporate governance, ethical sourcing and a zero‑tolerance stance on slavery and human trafficking across operations and supply chains.
• Quality - Rigorous product standards across manufacturing and distribution to protect taste, safety and brand trust, underpinning repeat purchase and loyalty.
• Sustainability - Commitment to reduce environmental impact through packaging circularity, carbon reduction and water stewardship embedded in operations.
• Innovation - Continuous R&D in formulations, packaging and go‑to‑market models to meet evolving consumer preferences (e.g., low/zero sugar, functional variants).
• Customer focus - Retail, on‑trade and direct customer strategies shaped by shopper insight, channel segmentation and route‑to‑market optimization.
• Community & Health - Support for healthier lifestyles, community initiatives and responsible marketing that reflect social licence to operate.

• Product portfolio: Reformulation programmes to reduce sugar across flagship ranges while preserving taste equity - supporting both public health goals and regulatory resilience.
• Packaging & waste: Investment in lightweighting and recyclable materials; collaboration with UK recycling schemes to raise collection rates and reduce post‑consumer waste.
• Supply chain & sourcing: Supplier audits, modern slavery statements and traceability initiatives to enforce the company's zero‑tolerance integrity stance.
• Innovation pipeline: R&D spend prioritised on low/zero sugar, functional beverages and premium variants to expand margins and address shifting consumption patterns.
• Customer & route‑to‑market: Data‑driven merchandising, promotions and trade partnerships to protect market share in grocery and leisure channels.

• Brand stewardship - Protect and grow heritage brands through marketing investment and product line extensions that respect original taste profiles while offering healthier options.
• Sustainability investments - Capital allocation to packaging innovation, energy efficiency in manufacturing and supplier decarbonisation projects.
• Governance & compliance - Strengthened supplier due diligence, public modern slavery statements and transparent reporting to maintain stakeholder trust.
• R&D & commercialisation - Faster time‑to‑market for new SKUs and formats, leveraging consumer insight and pilot programmes.