Cornwall’s St Austell Brewery has purchased a minority share in nearby Harbour Brewing. The deal will see the growth of Harbour’s distribution footprint, the companies said.

Harbour Brewing founder Eddie Lofthouse said: “We’ve always had a fantastic relationship with St Austell Brewery. When we first started in 2012, they did our bottling before we had the equipment to do it ourselves, and the former brewing director Roger Ryman was a mentor and good friend. Since then, we’ve built strong relationships across the business, from the brewery team to the board, based on shared values of independence, quality and our connection to Cornwall.”

Harbour Brewing’s production will remain at its site in Kirland, close to Bodmin in Cornwall. The brewery’s range will be available to St Austell venues, including its core beers such as Daymer pale ale (3.8%) and Singlefin lager (4%).

Kevin Georgel, chief executive at St Austell Brewery, added: “For us, this investment is representative of our desire to bring new beers to our customers, with a focus on craftsmanship and quality.”

Harbour Brewing has listings in several national supermarkets, including Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Marks and Spencer.

Financial details were not disclosed.