Our Story
Our CompanyDiscover how it all began
Discover the story behind how we became one of the UK’S most successful manufacturer of premium alcoholic and soft drinks. View our animated timeline below or watch our story VT.
Discover how it all began
Our Timeline
1935
SHLOER BRAND DEVELOPED BY DR JULES SHLOER IN SWITZERLAND.
1938
SHLOER ACQUIRED BY SMITHKLINE BEECHAM
1946
MERRYDOWN CREATED BY THREE FRIENDS (IAN, JACK AND JOHN) PRODUCING APPLE WINE, WITH THE BRAND NAMED AFTER JACK'S HOUSE
1956
DUTY CHANGES MEANT MERRYDOWN MOVED FROM MAKING APPLE WINE TO CIDER
1975
MERRYDOWN MOVED TO 8.5% ABV AS DUTY DOUBLED ON CIDERS ABOVE THAT LEVEL
1989
BOTTLEGREEN DRINKS CO. WAS FOUNDED BY HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM KIT AND SHIREEN MORRIS
1991
DELIA SMITTH FEATURED A RECIPE USING BOTTLEGREEN ELDERFLOWER CORDIAL ON HER COOKERY SHOW. THE NEXT DAY WAITROSE ORDERED THEIR FIRST PALLET
1992
BEVERAGE BRANDS (UK) LTD FOUNDED BY JOE WOODS, FOLLOWING HIS ENTRY INTO THE WORLD OF ALCOHOL WITH TIPPLES MINI COFFEE ENHANCERS
1993
SHS GROUP TOOK A CONTROLLING INTEREST IN BEVERAGE BRANDS, SHLOER ACQUIRED BY MERRYDOWN PLC
1994
CALEDONIAN BOTTLERS ESTABLISHED BY THE LATE FREDDIE WILLIAMS AND CALEDONIAN CLEAR (A RANGE Of SPARKLING FLAVOURED SPRING WATERS) LAUNCHED BY BEVERAGE BRANDS AND PRODUCED AT CALEDONIAN BOTTLERS
1995
BEVERAGE BRANDS INTRODUCE WOODY’S TO THE READY TO DRINK MARKET
1996
WKD IRON BREW LAUNCHED
1997
BEVERAGE BRANDS JOINED THE PORTMAN GROUP IN ESTABLISHING RESPONSIBLE MARKETING GUIDELINES FOR ALCOHOL
1999
WOODY'S LAUNCHED IN CANADA
2001
WKD BLUE LAUNCHED
2004
BEVERAGE BRANDS BECAME A FULL MEMBER OF THE PORTMAN GROUP
2005
MERRYDOWN PLC AQUIRED BY SHS GROUP
2007
KIT AND SHIREEN MORRIS SOLD THEIR SHARE OF BOTTLEGREEN DRINKS CO. TO THE MANAGEMENT TEAM AND PIPER PRIVATE EQUITY
2008
CALEDONIAN BOTTLERS BECOME A WHOLLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF BEVERAGE BRANDS BOTTLING WKD, AS WELL AS MAINTAINING THIRD PARTY CUSTOMERS
2011
BOTTLEGREEN DRINKS JOINED THE SHS GROUP AS THEY BUY A MAJOR SHARE
2012
SHS DRINKS DIVISION ESTABLISHED CONSISTING OF BEVERAGE BRANDS, MERRYDOWN PLC. BOTTLEGREEN AND CALEDONIAN BOTTLERS
2016
WKD REFRESH
2019
WKD PINK LAUNCHED
2020
WKD DARK FRUITS LAUNCHED
2020
NO & MORE CHANGES TO OWATER
2020
WKD MIXD CANS ARE LAUNCHED
