Incendiary brewer continues to buck the trend in shrinking beer industry

BrewDog, the maverick independent brewery, has today announced a 250% increase in sales for the first quarter of 2010 , despite sales across the industry falling 5.1% during the same period. Established just three years ago by founders James Watt and Martin Dickie, the Fraserburgh based brewery now produces over 400,000 bottles of its ‘Beer for Punks’ every month for discerning beer drinkers in 17 different countries.

Now Scotland’s largest independent brewery, BrewDog’s meteoric rise has been fuelled by a passion for craft beer and a bold, rebellious determination to change the face of the British alcohol industry.

BrewDog co-founder, James Watt commented:
“BrewDog is shaking the dust from the UK beer trade and carving a new path that is proving its popularity despite the economic crisis and a shrinking market. We launched BrewDog as a reaction against the bland, apathetic and tasteless beers that have become ubiquitous in recent years and our continued growth suggests we’re getting it right.”

Sales of the company’s flagship beer, Punk IPA, continue to rise exponentially and currently account for around 55% of BrewDog’s output. The company’s progressive portfolio of craft beers has expanded every year since its inception, each under characteristically distinctive brands that include the suggestive Trashy Blonde and the provocative Tactical Nuclear Penguin. Export sales have also risen dramatically for the third consecutive year, with around 65% of BrewDog beer being drunk on foreign soil.

The popular BrewDog blog has inspired a vocal community of advocates online and last year some of those fans became shareholders in the business following its groundbreaking ‘Equity for Punks’ scheme. Quintessentially BrewDog, Equity for Punks was the first funding programme of its kind in the UK, offering craft beer fans the chance to buy 10,000 shares in the business online.

This programme not only gave its customers an unprecedented say in how the business progresses, but also provided BrewDog with some of the capital required to invest in the equipment and personnel needed to satisfy continually increasing demand.

The company now employs 35 people and has doubled its brewing team in Fraserburgh in the past year. A nationwide sales force has already established BrewDog beers throughout the off trade, having forged national listings with the likes of Tesco and Oddbins, whilst working with independent retailers all over the country. A partnership with Coors has added further momentum to the company’s escalating presence in the on trade, which has been catalysed by BrewDog’s flexible offering of beers in 33ml bottles, 30l kegs and traditional casks.

The increased capacity of the BrewDog operation will allow its founders to launch new products in 2010 and the company is committed to keeping its roots firmly in the craft beer sector that has served it so well, with further niche, limited edition beers also planned.

James Watt added:
“We are not interested in how things are ‘supposed’ to be done, but how we think they should be done – and that has been the key foundation of our success. By being passionate about beer and placing that passion at the heart of every decision we make, we hope to continue to change the way people think about beer.”