A HEXHAM-BASED company which makes botanically-brewed drinks is celebrating success in the export market.

Fentimans is the only North-East drinks manufacturer to make it into this year’s list of the top 100 export companies.

The company has been named number 30 in the Lloyds SME Export Track 100 list.

The table ranks Britain’s small and medium-sized (SME) companies with the fastest growth in international sales.

Fentimans is fast becoming an internationally-recognised brand for its traditionally-crafted soft drinks and mixers.

Currently, the botanically- brewed beverages are exported to 65 different countries, from Europe to New Zealand and South America to Japan.

And managing director Eldon Robson has a five-year plan to increase that number and treble turnover.

Mr Robson, the great-grandson of Fentimans’ founder Thomas Fentiman, said: “Export is becoming an increasingly important part of what we do. And export will become 56 per cent of our turnover.

“We are very unique; we’re the only people who put craft into making soft drinks and we are selling around the world.

“The UK market is still very important to us; there’s a lot more growth in that area.”

Since relocating to Beaufront Business Park in 2015, Fentimans has increased its staff from 30 to 55.

And Mr Robson says there is 40 times more capacity at the new site.

Though Fentimans products are brewed in locations around the world, every flavour is developed and created at the Hexham base.

And the company is celebrating its success with the creation of new products.

Canned Fentimans drinks and Fentimans cocktail syrups could soon be hitting the shelves.

Mr Robson said: “We’re refreshing things, giving ourselves a bit of a facelift. We are the original and it’s great to draw upon our history. But I also think we have a great future ahead of us.”