Craft beer brewing was born back in the 1980s, and while the start was slow, it’s since become a big business. One of the success stories is Scotland’s BrewDog, which was founded in 2007 by James Watt and Martin Dickie. Fifteen years after they pulled their first pint, BrewDog has become one of the sector’s leaders. In 2020, the firm’s overall revenues grew by 10%, online sales by 900% and the gross profit margin to 48%. All this despite the pandemic and the fact that the majority of its 100 bars were closed for long periods over the year. The company is currently valued at close to £2 billion and employs more than 1,600 people globally.
BrewDog grew thanks to crowdfunding support from thousands of small investors and a reputation for doing business with social and environmental values. Aiming to distinguish themselves from traditional corporations, the company sought to become “the best employer in the world” and refers to their employees as “our people”, “the beating heart of our business” and “the reason we exist”.
