BrewDog has been put up on the market after the Scottish craft beer group appointed restructuring specialists to discover recent funding and strategic choices.
The Aberdeenshire-founded brewer has employed AlixPartners to supervise a structured course of that might lead to new buyers approaching board or elements of the enterprise being offered off.
Based in 2007 by James Watt and Martin Dickie, BrewDog grew from a small Ellon-based brewery into a world model with operations within the US, Australia and Germany, alongside round 60 bars throughout the UK. It presently employs roughly 1,400 folks.
In an announcement, the corporate mentioned the choice adopted “a yr of decisive motion” in 2025, together with cost-cutting and effectivity measures, because it sought to strengthen its long-term sustainability in what it described as a difficult financial atmosphere.
A BrewDog spokesperson mentioned the appointment of AlixPartners was a “deliberate and disciplined step” aimed toward evaluating the subsequent part of funding. The corporate added that it anticipated to draw substantial curiosity and that its bars and breweries would proceed to function as regular.
An inner e-mail to employees mentioned no selections had but been made and harassed that day-to-day operations can be unaffected whereas advisers reviewed strategic choices.
The transfer comes after a turbulent interval for the brewer. BrewDog reported a £37m loss final yr and introduced job cuts in October. Earlier this yr it confirmed the closure of 10 UK bars, together with its flagship Aberdeen venue.
Final month, the group halted manufacturing of its gin and vodka manufacturers at its Ellon distillery as a part of efforts to “sharpen” its concentrate on core beer operations.
In recent times BrewDog has incessantly attracted headlines, each for daring advertising campaigns and for controversies over office tradition. In 2024 it confronted criticism after saying it will not rent new employees on the true residing wage, opting as an alternative to pay the statutory minimal. Co-founder James Watt subsequently stepped down as chief government, taking over a brand new position as “captain and co-founder”, whereas Martin Dickie exited the enterprise final yr for private causes.
AlixPartners declined to touch upon the gross sales course of.
The potential sale marks a big turning level for certainly one of Britain’s most recognisable craft beer manufacturers, which as soon as positioned itself as a disruptor to world brewing giants and attracted hundreds of small-scale buyers by way of its “Fairness for Punks” fundraising scheme.
