The number of trucks operated by brewers, vintners and their logistics suppliers has fallen by 6.1% over the past year, figures from MT Fleet Data reveal. Not only that, the number of trailers has fallen by 13.2% over the same period.
The most notable reduction has been at GXO Drinks Logistics whose truck fleet has declined by 3.7% and trailer fleet by 16.2%.
However, there is good news in the wine and spirit sector with growth for both Matthew Clark Bibendum and Venus Wine & Spirit Merchants.
The on-trade market has been changing over the past few years with many pubs closing in the face of price competition from the supermarkets. Wetherspoon’s chairman Tim Martin highlighted the problem in the company’s 2026 interim report saying “pubs have lost 50% of their beer trade since the millennium” and he called for tax equality with the supermarkets.
Most of the in-house fleets have remained stable over the year including Carlsberg Marstons, Greene King and Tennent’s.
We have included fleets for hauliers which have specialisms in beverages: Treasure, the bulk beer transporter, Burton-based Nicwood Logistics, and Kammac, which last year launched Bevlink to provide an integrated solution for the beverages market.
The one major operator missing from the list is Tradeteam whose fleet was folded into that of parent DHL Supply Chain a couple of years ago. According to its most recent O-licences, which were due to expire in 2025, it had a total 783 trucks and 948 trailers.
Fleet Data is Motor Transport’s listing of the UK’s largest third party and own account HGV fleet operators. Based on the weekly O-licence updates issued by the Office of the Traffic Commissioners, Fleet Data enables subscribers quickly to identify operators in each of the eight traffic areas based on the number of vehicles on the licence and type of operator.
Brewers and vintners ranked by truck fleet July 2025 to July 2026.
| Company | Trucks | Trucks | Change (%) | Trailers | Trailers | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Jul-26 |
Jul-25 |
Jul-26 |
Jul-25 |
|||
|
GXO Logistics Drinks |
648 |
673 |
-3.7 |
1,246 |
1,486 |
-16.2 |
|
Carlsberg Marston’s |
383 |
383 |
0.0 |
252 |
252 |
0.0 |
|
Matthew Clark Bibendum |
324 |
314 |
3.2 |
109 |
107 |
1.9 |
|
Greene King Group |
123 |
123 |
0.0 |
63 |
63 |
0.0 |
|
Tennent Caledonian Breweries Wholesale |
106 |
106 |
0.0 |
55 |
55 |
0.0 |
|
St Austell Brewery Co |
90 |
90 |
0.0 |
23 |
23 |
0.0 |
|
Nicwood Logistics |
70 |
70 |
0.0 |
60 |
60 |
0.0 |
|
Samuel Smith Old Brewery |
70 |
70 |
0.0 |
35 |
35 |
0.0 |
|
Treasure Transport Services |
60 |
60 |
0.0 |
125 |
125 |
0.0 |
|
Venus Wine & Spirit Merchants |
60 |
51 |
17.6 |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
|
Kammac |
43 |
165 |
-73.9 |
120 |
200 |
-40.0 |
|
Total |
1,977 |
2,105 |
-6.1 |
2,088 |
2,406 |
-13.2 |
