A.G. Barr, the Cumbernauld-based owner of Irn-Bru, Rubicon energy drinks, Boost Drinks and Funkin cocktail mixers, said its statutory profit before tax soared 41.4% to £35.2 million in the 26 weeks to July 26.

Barr said first-half revenue rose 3.1% to £228.1 million “driven by growth in our Soft Drinks business where Boost was the standout performer.”

Interim dividend rose 11% to 3.44p.

In a “strategic update” Barr said: “Key strategic priorities for the business are: growing our core soft drinks portfolio; expanding our presence in functional beverages; driving operational efficiency; and delivering value-creating M&A.

“In July 2025, we acquired a 50.1% share in Innate-Essence Ltd, a functional drinks business specialising in health and wellness-led innovation which aligns with our ambition to diversify into higher-value, on-trend categories.”

Barr added: “The ‘healthier for you’ functional drinks market in the UK experienced strong, double-digit growth, albeit from a relatively small base, driven by health-conscious consumers seeking added benefits beyond basic hydration.

“Our presence in this sector is in its infancy, however our expansion strategy is strongly aligned with the growth drivers within the space, with a keen focus on innovation and M&A.”

In its outlook, Barr said: “We continue to advance key strategic initiatives that will support future revenue and profit delivery — including innovation, M&A and supply chain capabilities — while remaining disciplined in our approach to cost and capital allocation.

“We are confident that our plans for the second half will result in continued revenue growth, year-on-year operating margin improvement and a strong, consistent return on capital employed over the full year.”

A.G. Barr CEO Euan Sutherland said: “I am pleased to report strong first half results that reflect continued delivery against our strategic priorities and positive momentum across the business. We are making good progress putting in place the building blocks of long-term growth. 

“We are investing in our brands, operations and people to build a stronger, scalable, more profitable business.

“Our Soft Drinks portfolio performed well in H1 and we expect continued growth in H2 underpinned by increased marketing activity and new product innovation.

“We also continue to diversify our portfolio into high growth segments, with our recent expansion into the functional beverages space via the acquisition of Innate-Essence which includes The Turmeric Co and Raw Hydrate brands. 

“Our expectations for the full year 2025/26 are unchanged, and we remain confident in our strategy and ability to deliver sustainable, profitable growth over the long-term.”