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Bottoms up for Fuller's brewery
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| Michael Turner: Keeping his heritage alive |
In a time when family businesses are few and far between and even football's premiership giants are owned by Russians and Americans, it is nice to see Chiswick's beer brewers are holding their own.
For 160 years Fuller's brewery has been run by the families of Fuller, Smith and Turner, a company built on friendship and home-made values that have made the company what it is today.
Michael Turner, who is the great-grandson of the founding Turner, said: "You can't stay in business for that length of time if there's competition between the families.
"I think the feeling around the brewery is that all the families are just great friends and are very happy to be in business with each other."
The brewing on the Chiswick site goes back to 1654 with the partnership between the three families starting in 1845.
The president is a Smith, the chairman is a Fuller and Mr Turner is the chief executive, a relationship that is underpinned by a strong friendship and a common goal to succeed.
Mr Turner explained why Fuller's has been so successful over the years: "I set the strategy for the business and try to plot a course that is going to give us something extra above what other people can deliver.
"We play to our strengths and harness the history and the heritage to a very professional team."
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| Work at Fuller's brewery: They only employ the best |
It is clear Fuller's do not cut any corners.
They want to brew as efficiently and effectively as possible but the main focus is quality.
"In brewing we will always buy the best ingredients, we will invest in the best equipment and then the brewing process, which is very complex, is looked after by people who are incredibly passionate about what they do and really care about the quality."
This is abundantly evident in head brewer John Keeling, who conducted a thorough brewery tour during my visit to these historic premises.
Mr Turner added that "John lives for beer" and indeed his enthusiasm is infectious.
When he talks about beer in his mellow Mancunian tones you believe that it is something to be cherished and savoured.
Fuller's challenge is to live up to the aspirations of the founders in a modern environment and he and his partners believe they achieve this vision.
Mr Turner said: "We do not have any intentions of being the biggest but what we can do is be the best and what we concentrate on is quality, using the best ingredients, having the best people, running the best pubs and doing it better than other people and that's why we are the last surviving traditional brewers in London."
This unceasing focus on quality has made London Pride the largest selling premium ale in the country.
Fuller's will not change things for short-term gain but want to invest for the present and the future.
They want to remain true to their heritage and Chiswick home, standing proud on the Hogarth roundabout, and hopes that the community which has grown up around them is as proud of them as they are to be there.
Mr Turner said: "We brew fantastic beer here and we're not going to change that."
The heritage is clear to see for anyone who takes the brewery tour and indulges in a bit of beer-tasting too.
Mr Turner knows that the family tradition will continue but insists the inheritors must earn their right to work for Fuller's.
He and his brother were encouraged from a young age to join the family business but they were keen to go their own way. However, the lure of following in the family footsteps was too strong in the end.
He feels it is important for his own offspring - he has four sons - to follow their own ambitions and it would be their decision to hop on the beer wagon.
"It will be interesting see what happens. They're all fascinated by the business but I won't allow them in unless they are particularly good and unless the rest of the board really want them in."
And Mr Turner is speaking from experience.
He had to start at the bottom of the barrel, coming straight from his high-flying career as a city accountant and being at the brewery at the crack of dawn to carry out the first brew of the day.
The story goes that a younger Mr Turner had been enjoying the fruits of his labour the night before.
He hopped home to change and made his way straight to the brewery, where after the early action had taken place' he crawled underneath the huge mash tuns to rest his weary head.
He remembers how he was found by two colleagues: "One said oh here he is, I'm going to wake him up' and the second one said be careful, he might grow up to be your boss one day,' so they left me asleep which I rather liked."
The future is looking bright for Fuller's, not least because of the commitment of the whole family.
Mr Turner came close to missing the birth of his fourth son when he was in the city announcing his first set of results.
"I took the phone call in the car. I knew what it would be, I knew it would be my wife saying she was being rushed into hospital and what was I going to do about it, even though she was two weeks early.
"I went to the city and announced the results.
"I didn't actually miss it in the end but it's quite difficult to tell your wife to cross her legs and hold on."
Mr Turner has particularly enjoyed bringing in the new corporate identity - "the one you see today" - and the acquisition of Gales brewery in Hampshire, which has added 111 pubs to their empire.
Business is booming.
The future will hold more exciting ventures into new beers. In the last five years they have added organic Honey Dew and Discovery to their range, two beers that I can personally say changed my view of real ale.
For general enquiries call Fuller's on 020 8996 2000.
For information about tours call the brewery tour line on 020 8996 2063 or email: tours@fullers.co.uk
9:00am Friday 5th January 2007
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