BrewDog Ends The BrewDog Development Fund

So we have brought the BrewDog Development Fund to a close.

We introduced the fund with the idea of helping those starting out or to give craft breweries wanting to reach that next level the support they needed to hopefully make it. We partnered with two fantastic producers – London’s Brew by Numbers and Stockholm-based CAP. But those recent corporate takeovers and buyouts have detracted from our good intentions – and to be honest, that just doesn’t sit well with us.

Despite being significantly smaller in scale – and with intentions diametrically opposite – to recent ‘investments’ made in Ballast Point, Camden Town, Meantime, Elysian and others, when one brewery has a stake in another it can’t help but compromise the smaller of the two parties. We wanted (and still want) nothing but the best for BBNo and CAP, but the principle still applies.

So we have returned our stakes to the owners of these breweries, at cost price. We will continue to support them, and other outstanding craft breweries, by proudly stocking their beers and serving them in our bars, collaborating on cool brewing projects, and offering help and advice should it ever be asked of us.

But we are going to do all of this by supporting their independence above all else.

We discussed this at length with the breweries involved, of course – here’s what Dave Seymour, co-founder of Brew By Numbers, had to say about the decision.

“Brew By Numbers set out as a small, independent family-run brewery. Throughout the period of their involvement, BrewDog has never looked to take away that independence – something they’ve cemented by selling their stake back to us. Their assistance and advice has been invaluable to our growth over the past three years. They’ve been a loyal friend to us, watching our back, but now it’s time for us to write the next chapter on our own!”

For more detail on the back story of Brew By Numbers, and what they have planned for the future, check out this post on their blog.

We couldn’t agree more with what Dave and Tom said – like them, we are uncompromising in everything we do, and don’t want our stake in others leading to any kind of potential compromise in how they do business; now or in the future. Brew By Numbers and CAP both had fantastic years last year, made stunning beers and will continue to grow – only they will grow, like BrewDog, as independent craft breweries.