Marston’s PLC has appointed SQE – an energy supply platform exclusively for industrial and commercial businesses – as its strategic electricity partner. The partnership will help Marston’s goal to expand access to renewable electricity, strengthen energy resilience and improve cost control across its nationwide hospitality estate. EIC Partnership brokered the agreement, delivering key market insights to help Marston’s build its flexible energy procurement strategy.
Under the new partnership, SQE will supply 140GWh of lower carbon electricity annually to Marston’s estate of more than 1,300 local pubs, bars and inns across the UK. The contract has an initial term of 24 months, with the flexibility to extend as Marston’s energy strategy evolves.
The deal marks an important step in Marston’s transition away from a traditional energy supply model toward a more flexible, data-led and lower-carbon approach. The agreement is expected to improve budget certainty and support Marston’s objective of delivering lower-carbon electricity at a commercially sustainable cost.
“The electricity market is changing rapidly, and cost remains a critical consideration for the hospitality sector – but so does our commitment to lower-carbon energy,” says Chris White, Energy Manager at Marston’s. “One of our biggest challenges is increasing the amount of renewable electricity we use, at a price that works for our business and our operators.
“We needed a partner who could match that ambition, combining renewable procurement expertise with the digital capability and operational support to manage a complex estate at scale. Through this new partnership with SQE, we will benefit from better forecasting, more responsive support, and greater visibility of performance at a site level, helping us improve budget control, while giving us the flexibility we need as our energy strategy evolves.”
Marston’s is pursuing a long-term strategy to increase the proportion of renewable electricity used across its business while maintaining flexibility in how energy is purchased. The partnership with SQE is expected to play a central role in supporting that transition over the coming years.
“Winning the trust of a business the size and complexity of Marston’s is a major milestone for SQE,” says Chris Bowden, founder and CEO, SQE. “Our role in this new partnership is to give Marston’s the choice, transparency and control to manage its diverse and community-based estate more effectively and enable it to increase the proportion of renewable electricity across the business. We’re thrilled to be supporting that journey.
“This partnership also reflects a broader shift in the market. Large hospitality operators are increasingly looking for energy partners that can adapt quickly to changing and volatile market conditions, and provide the insight needed to support more sustainable energy decisions.”
“We’re pleased to be working with Marston’s and SQE on the new contract,” says John Palmer, Director of Procurement, EIC Partnership. “This collaboration will bring a number of benefits for Marston’s, including access to the innovative SQE portal, offering detailed cost information and transparency. We look forward to building a successful long-term relationship with both teams and supporting the continued success of the contract.”
