Two new sales leaders as Theakston advances North Yorkshire heartland

Masham-based Theakston has increased its headcount by two as Cameron Bell and Zak Spence have joined the company as sales development managers focusing on key northern cities and the brewery’s heartland in North Yorkshire respectively.

Black Sheep was founded by Paul Theakston in 1992 following the sale of the family business T&R Theakston Brewery to Scottish & Newcastle.

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When Theakston Brewery was bought back by the family in 2003, the brewing dynasties were once again only a few hundred yards apart. But Black Sheep is now going through tough times and went into administration earlier this month in search of new investments.

At Theakston, Cameron brings a wealth of experience in the hotel and beverage industry to his new role, having spent time as General Manager of a cocktail bar in central Manchester and having held various sales and ambassadorship roles for both an independent gin brand and a rum company.

With this experience on both sides of the bar, Cameron will work with key city center venues to raise awareness of the brewery’s draft and keg offerings, particularly to a younger demographic.

Zak joins the company after almost a decade in the police force having worked for both Northumbria and North Yorkshire Police. He takes over the position of Theakston representative for the North Yorkshire, Yorkshire Dales, Harrogate and Ripon region from Barry Gibb who recently retired. He will be responsible for continuing to work with existing and new customers in the region where the brewery already has a strong presence.

The appointments mark the second addition to T&R Theakston’s sales team this year. The brewery announced in January that it had hired a new national account manager and sales development manager.

Joint Managing Director Simon Theakston said: “We started 2023 by announcing growth across our team and after a busy first quarter we are excited to continue expanding as we look to execute our growth ambitions for this year outside.

“It’s wonderful to welcome both Cameron and Zak to our T&R Theakston family at such an exciting time for the company as we prepare to launch more seasonal beers, announce new partnerships and continue to grow looking forward to our bicentenary in 2027.”

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Zak added: “As a proud North Yorkshire man, I am delighted to work for such a well-known company that combines a strong heritage with exciting plans for the future. Acquiring Barry means I have some big shoes to fill, but I certainly look forward to working with our clients to further deepen the strong relationships he has nurtured.”

Cameron said: “I look forward to working for Theakston and helping to drive his growth plans. There are many exciting developments planned for this year, providing the perfect opportunity to increase awareness and availability of the brewery’s beer range in northern cities and introduce our products to new consumers.”