Tennent's Direct

What Tennent's Direct does

Tennent's Direct is the B2B e-commerce platform of Tennent Caledonian Breweries Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of C&C Group plc, headquartered at Wellpark Brewery in Glasgow, Scotland. The company operates an account-gated online portal that sells a full portfolio of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages — draught and packaged beer, cider and perry, FABS (seltzers, alcopops, pre-mixed cocktails), spirits, wine, and minerals — alongside dry goods (cleaning products and sundries) to licensed trade customers including pubs, bars, clubs, and hospitality venues across the UK. The platform is built on TrueCommerce (Netalogue) e-commerce technology with KYC/KYB onboarding handled via GBG, and distribution is supported by a proprietary fleet of 16 solar-panel-assisted trucks serving the Scottish pub network.

The business model is wholesale B2B distribution with account-based, login-gated pricing rather than publicly disclosed list prices. Customers register, complete identity and sanctions screening, and order through the portal; revenue is generated on transactional margin across the beverage and dry-goods portfolio. Tennent's Direct sits within C&C Group's broader UK and Ireland drinks division and shares operational infrastructure with Wellpark Brewery, including a £2.6M carbon capture facility (operational since November 2020) and a 2019 anaerobic digestion system. Complementary digital assets include the useyourlocal consumer-engagement platform (1M+ monthly visitors) and the C&C Bar Academy training partnership, both of which extend the company's reach into the on-trade customer base beyond pure product supply.

Strategically, the company has positioned itself around sustainable brewing — SBTi-validated targets, 99% renewable electricity since April 2021, and a CDP A-rating for supplier engagement (February 2022) — and has diversified into higher-growth categories such as FABS and no/low-alcohol variants (Tennent's Zero, Tennent's Light) to broaden its appeal with younger and health-conscious consumers. A three-year partnership with the Big Issue Group (announced 2024) and active participation in the CDP Supply Chain Screening Programme indicate ESG-led commercial positioning rather than aggressive geographic or segment expansion. With a lean headcount of 18 employees, Tennent's Direct functions primarily as a digital distribution channel within a larger group structure rather than as an independent growth-stage business.

Name

Tennent's Direct

Legal name

Tennent Caledonian Breweries Limited

Website

https://tennentsdirect.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tennent's Direct is the B2B e-commerce platform of C&C Group subsidiary Tennent Caledonian Breweries, selling a full alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage plus dry-goods portfolio to UK licensed-trade venues (pubs, bars, hospitality) via an account-gated online portal and a 16-truck Scottish delivery fleet.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Beverage Distribution

NAICS

Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (4248), Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers (424810), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Breweries (312120)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180), Malt Beverages (2082), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Alcoholic Beverage Wholesale (Beer, Wine, Spirits) (AFAIAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regional & National Breweries (THAFALAD), Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service) (THAFALAB)

Keywords

• Wholesale beverage distribution
• Trade alcohol supply
• Hospitality beverage wholesale
• Licensed trade drinks
• B2B beverage e-commerce

Headquarters

HQ city

Glasgow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. B2B Beverage Distribution: Wholesale distribution of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to licensed trade businesses including pubs, bars, and hospitality venues. Customers purchase products through the online platform with account-based ordering.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Tennent's Direct is a B2B wholesale beverage platform operated by Tennent Caledonian Breweries Limited, a subsidiary of C&C Group plc. It supplies draught and packaged beer, cider and perry, FABS, spirits, wine, soft drinks, and dry goods to licensed trade venues (pubs, bars, hotels, restaurants, clubs) across Scotland and the wider UK, with account-based ordering, identity verification, and direct distribution via its own fleet from the Wellpark Brewery in Glasgow.

Product overview

Tennent's Direct is a B2B beverage distribution platform operated by C&C Group, offering a comprehensive portfolio of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks alongside hospitality supplies. The platform provides draught and packaged beer, cider, FABS (seltzer, alcopops, cocktails), spirits, wines, minerals/soft drinks, and dry goods (cleaning products, sundries) primarily serving the on-trade hospitality sector across the UK. The product architecture consists of a core e-commerce platform enabling account management, ordering, and delivery of the full beverage and supplies portfolio, with the useyourlocal partner platform offering pubs a digital presence and consumer engagement tool.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tennent's Lager: The flagship beer brand of Tennent's, committed to sustainable brewing using 100% Scottish Barley and fresh water from Loch Katrine.
• Tennent's Zero
• Tennent's Light
• Useyourlocal

Products and services

• Tennent's Draught Lager (and other draught beer range)
• Tennent's Packaged Beer (cans and bottles)
• Cider and Perry Range
• FABS (Flavoured Alcoholic Beverages)
• Wine and Champagne
• Spirits and Liqueurs
• Minerals (Soft Drinks and Mixers)
• Dry Goods (Snacks and Accessories)
• useyourlocal Consumer Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% of electricity at Wellpark and distribution network comes from renewable sources since 1 April 2021
• +4 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CDP Supply Chain Screening ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Participation in CDP Supply Chain Screening Programme working with 120 strategic supply chain partners to request science-based approach in disclosing climate-related information. Part of Scope 3 emissions reduction strategy with commitment that suppliers/customers representing 67% of Scope 3 emissions will have science-based targets by 2026.
• Big Issue GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree-year partnership focused on mentoring, skills transference, and access to employment opportunities. Identifies opportunities for Big Issue vendors and those facing employment barriers to transition into internships or permanent employment with C&C and across hospitality industry via Big Issue Group's Employability Programme. Includes Big Issue Pitch, Big Issue Breakthrough and Big Issue Invest mentoring, Employability Programme, and cause-related marketing campaigns.
• Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking with SBTi to validate carbon reduction targets to meet goals of Paris Agreement and limit global warming to well below 2°C. C&C Group committed to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 35% and Scope 3 emissions by 25% by 2030 versus 2019/2020 baseline.
• C&C Bar AcademyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTraining and education resources for hospitality industry professionals, linked through Tennent's Direct website.
• useyourlocalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital platform partnership with over 1 million monthly visitors connecting pubs, brands and consumers. Tennent's Direct promotes the platform for pubs to claim venues for free and create their own websites.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• C&C Group plc: Parent company and Ireland/UK's largest independent drinks manufacturer and distributor. Directly comparable as the corporate parent and the wholesale/distribution network Tennent's Direct operates within.
• Diageo plc: World's largest spirits producer with substantial UK on-trade presence. Comparable as a broad incumbent wholesaler/manufacturer serving licensed trade with multi-category portfolio (spirits, beer, RTDs).

Emerging players

• Adnams plc: Regional UK brewer and spirits producer with on-trade distribution. Comparable as a smaller brewer/wholesaler with sustainability positioning targeting UK licensed trade customers.
• Booker (Tesco subsidiary): UK cash-and-carry wholesaler with growing alcoholic beverage offering to independent retailers and licensees. Comparable B2B wholesale model with multi-category supplies to small trade businesses.

Direct peers

• Marston's plc: UK brewer and pub operator. Comparable as a UK-focused brewer with on-trade distribution arm supplying pubs with multi-brand alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
• Molson Coors Beverage Company: Global brewer with significant UK on-trade presence (Carling, Doom Bar, Madrí Excepcional). Direct competitor in UK licensed trade wholesale via owned brands and multi-brand portfolio distribution.
• Carlsberg UK: Major UK brewer (Carlsberg Danish Pilsner, San Miguel) with national wholesale network serving licensed trade. Comparable in offering multi-brand beer and beverage distribution to UK pubs.
• Matthew Clark (Bibendum): UK's largest independent drinks wholesaler supplying pubs, bars, and restaurants nationwide. Directly comparable B2B beverage distribution model serving licensed trade with broad portfolio.
• Greene King (Innserve): UK pub operator and brewer with Innserve wholesale arm serving UK on-trade. Direct peer in multi-brand beverage wholesale to licensed premises.
• Heineken UK: UK arm of Heineken with extensive on-trade distribution and Star Pubs & Hotels. Direct competitor serving pubs and hospitality with multi-brand beverage portfolio and own logistics.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TennentsDirect
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tennent-s-direct
• Instagraminstagram.com/tennentsdirect

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tennent's Direct