Euan Sutherland

The company, known for its Irn-Bru brand, outpaced the wider UK soft drinks market.

The growth was driven by a 3.2% increase in case volumes, reaching 36 million, alongside favourable price and mix effects. The core soft drinks division was a standout performer, delivering a 7.0% increase in revenue.

Adjusted profit before tax saw a healthy 8.5% rise to £29.3m. However, reported profit before tax experienced a 10.4% decline to £24.9m, attributed to one-off costs. The company’s margin rebuild programme is showing positive results, with gross margin expanding by 260 basis points to 40.3%, and adjusted operating margin increasing by 50 basis points to 13.0%.

AG Barr maintains a strong financial position with a net cash position of £43.7m. The company has reiterated its full-year guidance, expecting mid-single-digit revenue growth and an operating margin of around 13%.

CEO Euan Sutherland said: “We are pleased to report continued revenue growth and strong profit growth in the first half of the financial year.

“Trading improved during H1 and we enter H2 with strong momentum and continued progress on margin improvement as our strategic initiatives continue to deliver.

“I am also excited about our expansion into the functional beverage segment working alongside Thomas Robson-Kanu and the Innate-Essence team. Our full year guidance remains unchanged and in line with market expectations.”