BLACK Sheep Brewery is planning to make further inroads into the US market.

The Masham, North Yorkshire business is hoping to win contracts in Texas.

The US beer market is particularly challenging as it can only be accessed by selling to a licenced importer who then sells to distributors.

This is further compounded by each US state having its own laws governing the sale of alcohol, labelling requirements and consumer legislation.

But Black Sheep has been working with UK Trade and Investment's overseas trade team to explore the market.

Pat Green, Black Sheep Brewery sales and marketing director, said: "For some time now, we have been working with the international trade team at York and North Yorkshire Business Link to develop the market for our speciality beer in the US, where we are already very active, having increased our market there from 12 to 32 states in about 18 months.

"They have helped us in the past to identify new importers."

The company used the Targeted Export Support Scheme to help it register for a Non-Resident Brewing Permit for Texas, and to redesign its label to comply with US regulations.