Best Barr none! Belfast’s connection to Boost’s new owner
With a long history in the drinks sector, Belfast man Gavan Morris is well-placed to know the importance of brands growing relationships with consumers. The International Business Unit Director at AG Barr tells NR about the company’s ambitious goals for NI.
Celebrating its 150th anniversary, AG Barr is a well-known and long-established drinks company, which has grown from being primarily known for IRN-BRU to becoming a dynamic FTSE-listed PLC with ambitious growth goals.
Having recently acquired Boost, a drinks brand which has enjoyed phenomenal success in Northern Ireland across its 20-year history, AG Barr has committed to building on this success, promising further investment and innovation.
As Gavan Morris explains, the acquisition of Boost was a strategic move to strengthen their position in the rapidly expanding energy drinks sector.
“This acquisition complements our existing energy brands, Rubicon RAW and PWR-BRU, and allows us to cater to the increasingly diverse energy drink consumer,” said Gavan.
“Boost, with its strong presence and established growth trajectory, is well-positioned to be a key player within our portfolio. Boost’s success in Northern Ireland has been exceptional, thanks to two decades of dedicated investment in the region.
“The consumer base has developed a genuine affinity for the brand, driven by consistent product innovation and outstanding value. Our most recent campaign, ‘There’s a Boost for That’, aims to build on this success by driving consumer trials for our latest product innovations, including Boost Sport Cloudy Lemonade and Boost Energy Blue Raspberry.
“The early feedback has been incredibly positive, and we expect these new lines to be among the best-performing NPD in recent years, further reinforcing Boost’s position as Northern Ireland’s #2 energy drink brand across the Sport, Energy and Iced Coffee categories.”
Gavan started his long career in the drinks sector with McCabes and Bass Brewers before moving to an 11-year tenure at C&C Group, where he held various sales and marketing positions. In 2009, he joined AG Barr to manage Ireland and assumed his current role as International Business Unit Director in 2020, a particularly challenging time given the global impact of covid-19.
“Despite these challenges, we successfully navigated the pandemic and expanded our presence to around 40 countries worldwide,” said Gavan.
“My role primarily involves overseeing the establishment of distribution partnerships across key markets, though we occasionally manufacture locally in certain regions. Europe remains our core market, contributing approximately 90% of our international business, driven by key brands like Rubicon and IRN-BRU.
“However, we have made significant strides in North America in recent years, helping us quadruple the international business. The future looks promising, with substantial investments lined up to fuel continued growth.”
Despite industry-wide pressures, AG Barr reported record turnover for the year ending January 2025 – up 5.1% year-on-year – driven by strong brand performance, innovation, and international growth, with Gavan outlining a relentless focus on understanding the consumer and delivering exceptional value through great-tasting products as the key attributes to this success.
“Rubicon has been a standout performer, with a series of new product launches driving the brand’s impressive growth. In 2024, Rubicon became the fastest-growing soft drink brand, supported by innovations like Rubicon Sparkling, Rubicon RAW, Rubicon Spring, and the all-new Rubicon Spring VITS range,” said Gavan.
“While IRN-BRU is a household name, it’s a common misunderstanding that sales are predominantly in Scotland, however it is worth noting that we actually sell more IRN-BRU outside of Scotland than within it. Our 2024 TikTok campaign, Mannschaft broke records, becoming the most-viewed UK soft drink ad on the platform.
‘The consumer connection with Boost in Northern Ireland is especially strong thanks to a long-standing local presence’
“Boost has also seen tremendous growth post-acquisition, helped by an energy category that has proven resilient in the face of ongoing market challenges. Boost’s ability to deliver across energy, sport, and coffee categories has set it apart from the competition.
“Additionally, our alcohol portfolio, led by Funkin Cocktails – the UK’s #1 cocktail brand – has been a key driver. While the hospitality sector faces its own pressures, Funkin’s relevance and ability to adapt to evolving social trends and premium drinking occasions continue to solidify its market-leading position.”
Northern Ireland is a key area of focus now for the company, particularly following the acquisition of Boost, with Gavan citing the exceptionally strong performance of the energy drink in the region as a core difference between NI consumers and the rest of the UK.
“This reflects a unique consumer profile that values high-energy, great-tasting and good-value drinks,” said Gavan.
“That’s why innovation within the Boost range, such as Boost Sport Cloudy Lemonade and Boost Energy Blue Raspberry, is so important to our strategy here.
“The consumer connection with Boost in Northern Ireland is especially strong thanks to a long-standing local presence, targeted campaigns and a deep understanding of what resonates with the market,” added Gavan.
READ THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH GAVAN MORRIS IN THE JUNE ISSUE OF NEIGHBOURHOOD RETAILER HERE
