C&C Group: Post Results Agenda

Research evidence excerpt

C&C Group: Post Results Agenda

Barclays | C&C Group

market is therefore likely to remain sceptical until a quantified bridge to margin delivery is

presented, in our view.

A related theme in Q&A was that mix recovery is explicitly not required for margin

expansion. Management was clear that the current product mix must be made to work, with a

focus on reducing complexity, optimising the range and improving buying and selling discipline.

There was a clear acknowledgement that the portfolio, particularly in distribution, has become

overly complex and that simplification offers both cost and margin opportunity. The implication

is that the business sees productivity and discipline, rather than structural change in demand,

as the primary route to recovery.

Within branded, the Q&A highlighted a more meaningful shift in philosophy. Management is

now explicitly prioritising volume growth rather than relying on price and mix to sustain profit

growth. This represents a notable departure from prior positioning, and reflects an acceptance

that underlying consumption has been declining. The ambition is now to grow actual volumes

across core brands such as Tennent’s and Bulmers, supported by innovation, improved

execution and broader distribution. While no formal targets were provided, the language

suggests a reset in how performance will be measured and incentivised.

This shift is strategically important, given the group’s asset base. Management highlighted that

production capacity remains significantly underutilised, with materially higher capacity than

current output. Rather than viewing this as inefficiency, they framed it as a source of

optionality, enabling operating leverage as volumes grow, and providing flexibility to respond to