Our story
Sloan's beer
Sloan’s beer was originally called Dwyers. It was 1st launched in 2019 in Thailand, but with Covid it was discontinued. In 2023 Andrew Sloan took over the business and opened Dwyers import export company to manage production and regional distribution; and second company called Creative Beverages Distribution for distribution in Thailand. Today Sloan’s provides draft and bottled beer in Thailand, Singapore with plans to expand to other countries in South East Asia.
Why call the beer Sloan's?
Quite simply the Sloan’s brand has a historical value going back to 1911 when Sloan’s Dairies was 1st established in Glasgow, Scotland. The founder of Sloan’s Beer, Andrew Sloan, decided to re-establish the brand and its values, and share some of his family’s history before it disappears.
The Sloan’s name and Family tree goes back before 1448, when the family owned land in Garrock, Dumfies in Scotland. The Sloan’s brand has been in existence since 1911, when Andrew Sloan, who was a tenant farmer in Girvan, Ayrshire, Scotland, gave up his tenancy and moved his family to Glasgow. There they opened a bakery and with dairy products in Merkland Street, Partick. This progressed to collecting milk from surrounding farms and producing and selling milk and dairy products door to door via milk floats around the Partick area. This was the start of Sloan’s Dairies which was to become the largest private dairy company in Scotland catering to the doorstep, schools etc. with more than 30 Sloan’s stores around Glasgow. A family business which is still remembered by many today.
THE
BEGINNING
In 1911, the Sloan family left their Ayrshire farm in search of better opportunities and relocated to Glasgow. There, they established a dairy business on Merkland Street, collecting fresh milk from surrounding farms, supplying local customers, and operating a bakery.
When the First World War broke out, sons Andrew and George enlisted, leaving their sisters Margaret, Jeanie, and Jane to manage the family business alongside their ailing father. During the war, their father passed away, but Andrew and George were denied leave and were unable to attend his funeral. Despite the challenges of running a business in a male-dominated society, the sisters worked tirelessly to keep the enterprise alive until their brothers returned home.
Following the war, the business continued to flourish. Through strong partnerships with local farmers and a reputation for reliable, efficient delivery to both shops and households, the Sloan family expanded their operations and established the trusted Sloan’s brand.
THE
EXPANSION
By 1969, Sloan’s Dairies had become the largest privately owned dairy company in Scotland. Employing more than 300 people, the business processed approximately 17,000 gallons of milk each day—equivalent to around 30,000 bottles—alongside a wide range of dairy products, including yogurt, cream, and butter.
That same year, Sloan’s unveiled a new state-of-the-art creamery and bottling plant in Anniesland, Glasgow. The facility attracted significant media attention and featured modern laboratories dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of quality and food safety.
As the company continued to grow, it expanded through the acquisition of several regional dairies while preserving the family values and local identities that had defined the business from its beginnings. A network of depots was established across the country, strengthening Sloan’s distribution capabilities and customer reach.
Sloan’s also operated numerous retail shops throughout Glasgow and supplied dairy products across Scotland, from Nairn and Aberdeen in the north to the Scottish Borders in the south. Through its commitment to quality, service, and community, the Sloan’s name became one of the most trusted brands in the Scottish dairy industry.
SLOAN'S SOLD
Andrew Sloan Junior began his career in the family business at the ground level, working as a delivery boy and milk float driver. After completing his accountancy qualifications and finishing his chartered accountancy apprenticeship, he returned to Sloan’s Dairies and progressed through the company step by step. Like the generations of farmers who had built the business before him, he was expected to earn his position through hard work and experience. Within the Sloan family, no one was given a free ride—a principle that many family members came to understand firsthand.
In 1965, Andrew Sloan succeeded his father as Chairman and Managing Director of Sloan’s Dairies. Under his leadership, the company continued to expand, building upon the strong foundations established by previous generations.
The following year, in 1966, Andrew Sloan Senior passed away, marking the end of the original generation that had guided the company through its formative years. His passing also brought changes within the family, and differing views regarding the future direction of the business began to emerge.
In 1972, interest in acquiring Sloan’s Dairies was expressed by Express Dairies. Owing to family circumstances and differing shareholder interests, the majority of shareholders voted in favour of the sale. Following the transaction, Andrew Sloan purchased back the retail division of the business, consisting of 33 stores throughout Glasgow.
He continued to operate and develop the retail business successfully until his retirement, preserving the Sloan family’s presence in the communities it had served for generations and maintaining the traditions and values upon which the business had been built.
SLOAN'S TODAY
Our founder Andrew Sloan had been asked if he wanted to take over the retail business on completing his business degree, as all of the kids had learnt and worked in the business over the years and Andrew had run 3 of the stores in a district during a gap year. However, with the growing supermarkets and dying high street, Andrew decided to take some time overseas when he was 21. After backpacking around S.E. Asia and settling in Thailand, he was lucky enough to land a couple of local jobs, then was offered a job with Cable and Wireless Hong Kong in Bangkok. In 1996 he decided to open his own business in IT marketing and selling software and later a media and production house. Andrew has settled in Thailand where he has a family.
So why create Sloan’s Beer?
The opportunity arose, the beer is exceptional, the brew master second to none, production and costing made sense and there was no other beer like it in Thailand. With the real opportunity for export across the region. That with the other companies Andrew Sloan owns to market the business , the stars aligned and continue to do so.