Drinks manufacturer and distributor Global Brands has reported a 16% increase in sales with its turnover reaching £42m for the financial year ending on 30 September 2017.

Over the same period gross profits reached £11.8m, which is a £1m increase on the 2015/16 financial year.

Two of Global Brands’ products did especially well in the 2016/17 financial year: Franklin and Sons and VK.

Franklin and Sons is the company’s range of tonics, mixers and soft drinks, which experienced a 281% increase in volume sales between September 2016 and September 2017. Its London product performed best; it is now exported to 42 countries worldwide compared with 25 in the previous financial year.

VK’s volume sales grew by 20% making the brand the largest in the UK ready-to-drink category as it now accounts for a quarter of purchases in the segment.

The drinks manufacturer and distributor attributes its 2016/17 growth to innovation and growing exports. The growth in total exports across the company’s 19 brands was 50%.

In May 2017, Global Brands launched a canned alcoholic soda called Crooked Beverage, which it claims represents the introduction of a new alcoholic drinks category. The company argues this product provides consumers with an alternative to fruit ciders.

It also expanded its successful ready-to-drink portfolio with the creation of a ready-to-serve cocktail range called London Rd. This product aims to provide on trade bars and restaurants with an easy way to offer cocktails to their customers. Volume sales of the range grew by 52% in the 2016/17 financial year.

Global Brands founder and chairman Steve Perez said: “Consumer demands and taste preferences sit at the heart of what we do and is really driving our growth to keep pace with a fast-changing market. Understanding what people want, whether that’s premium tasting mixers made using only natural ingredients or something different to sweet tasting fruit ciders, has seen us trailblaze. We created the alcoholic soda drinks category and established ourselves in the highly competitive premium tonics, mixers and soft drinks market.”

Perez added: “We never sit still when it comes to product development and there’s no greater buzz than working with supermarkets, bars and restaurants to answer their call for innovation. Consumers are demanding more for their money in terms of taste and quality. Being able to successfully meet this challenge is the best part of the job and continues to see us expand across the UK and internationally.”

The company has experienced a strong start to the 2017/18 financial year with total volume sales increasing by 20% and signing distribution partnerships with brands such as LoneWolf, BrewDog’s spirits brand.