BrewDog – the brewer and pub operator that loves to hit the headlines – is top of the charts for the fastest growing eating and drinking out companies in the UK.

The Scottish company, famed for its off-the-wall brews and controversy-courting marketing campaigns - as well as the 11 bars it has successfully opened across the country - beat rivals such as Drake & Morgan, Jamie’s Italian and Novus Leisure.

According to the 2013 Zolfo Cooper Profit Tracker, BrewDog has achieved profit growth over the three-year period of 193.3 per cent.

James Watt, co-founder of BrewDog, said: “BrewDog's growth is not a reflection of simple business performance, but of a seismic shift in perceptions of beer in the UK. Customers are increasingly discerning about the quality of the beer they drink and the type of establishments they drink them in.

“We set out to change the stereotype of beer in the UK and, while many lauded this effort, others laughed in our faces. They are not laughing now. The craft beer revolution is not a flash in the pan – it's a permanent change in consumer demand.”