Tesco prize boost for gluten-free beer

October 5, 2005: Taylor Resources, a business development consultancy based in the Blackdowns, Devon, has helped one of its clients win gold in a prestigious national brewing award run by Tesco.

Steve Griffin, managing director of Taylor Resources, specialises in strategic marketing, including support to companies in launching new products and services and their general bid to grow business.

Hambleton Ales appointed Steve earlier this year to support its launch of GFA, an innovative beer which is the first British-brewed gluten- and wheat-free ale. Now the beer has won top prize as the most innovative beer in Tesco's coveted Beer Challenge at the first time of asking.

"The task was to demonstrate how the beer would grow not just the beer market but also speciality food and drink sales," said Steve. "This award should help my client boost what is already his biggest selling bottled beer still further."

Steve Griffin set up Taylor Resources three years ago after graduating with distinction in his MBA from Exeter University and following a corporate career in multinational blue chip consumer product companies such as Wilkinson Sword and Rothmans. He has also just completed a Business Link-funded project providing marketing support to a South West food start-up company.

Nick Stafford, of Hambleton Ales, said: "Taylor Resources has demonstrated a real ability to win support from major customers and proved invaluable in helping us reach a mass audience. This award will be a great platform for us to grow even further and we're already working on new products and new markets."