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A Dundee brewery has acquired Arbroath-founded soft drinks firm Bon Accord in a move it says creates a “major new force in Scotland’s craft drinks sector”.

71 Brewing has taken over Bon Accord Soft Drinks, the family-founded company known for it naturally sweetened sodas, for an undisclosed sum.

It said the deal will allow the business to expand distribution and allow new product development.

The brand was born in Arbroath in 1903 and went on to become one of Scotland’s leading soft drink manufacturers before it closed in 2000.

The 120-year-old brand was relaunched and refreshed by Karen Knowles, the great-great-granddaughter of its Robb family founders, in 2016.

Karen believes the acquisition was a natural next step for the firm.

She said: “Now is the right time for this transition. We’ve had nine successful years of growth, building a brand founded by my great-great-grandfather in 1903, which places wellbeing and better-for-you-drinks at the heart of everything we do.

“Partnering with 71 Brewing expands our operational capacity and allows us to scale, innovate, and reach new audiences with even greater impact.”

71 Brewing said the acquisition is a key step in diversifying its product range, strengthening its premium portfolio, and expanding market share across retail, hospitality, and export markets.

Duncan Alexander, 71 Brewing managing director, said: “The merger presents an unique opportunity to work with an established, opportunity-rich brand that shares our values.

“Bon Accord’s ethos of craft and quality mirrors our own, and their premium soft drinks are a perfect complement to our beer portfolio.”

The brand was founded in Arbroath in 1903 by brothers Thomas and David Robb.

It had depots in Aberdeen, Inverness and Edinburgh, starting points for a fleet of trucks carrying crates of clanking glass bottles of fizzy pop for home deliveries throughout Scotland.

But, due to the growth of supermarkets and the switch to plastic packaging, the company closed in 2000.

Plans are now underway for the former factory on Greyhope Road, Aberdeen, to be transformed into a whisky distillery.

This article appeared in The Courier on 10 September 2025