Nearly 2,000 pubs ditch BrewDog as brand faces survival fight
BrewDog beers have been removed from nearly 2,000 British pubs in a significant setback for the brewing company, which had to close 10 of its own pubs just weeks earlier.
Figures show that BrewDog’s signature beer, the Punk IPA, was pulled from 1,980 boozers in the last two years.
It is understood that the brewer now relies on just one large pub chain that still backs the brand, as insiders warn the Punk IPA might not survive if it loses that support.
Confidential pub industry data seen by The Telegraph shows the company’s draught range has disappeared from around 1,860 pubs in just two years – wiping out more than a third of its UK distribution.
The Punk IPA is the hardest hit, losing its spot at 1,980 pubs since 2022 - a 52.3% drop - as landlords slim down their beer ranges and punters shift towards rival brands such as Camden Town and Beavertown.
An industry source told the newspaper that BrewDog was “losing taps in the [pub and bar trade] like you wouldn’t believe” as its competitors gain popularity.
Most of the losses have come from large pub groups, which traditionally provided a steady revenue stream for BrewDog.
Their retreat leaves the Scottish brewer increasingly reliant on JD Wetherspoon, whose 794 pubs now represent a big share of its remaining draught sales.
“If they ever lost the JD Wetherspoon deal, then that’s Punk IPA done as a [pub trade] product,” an industry insider said.
It comes amid a turbulent period for the brewer, which closed 10 of its bars at the end of last month - including its first ever venue in Aberdeen.
Chief executive James Taylor told staff the closures are part of a refresh of its estate, partly in response to "rising costs, increased regulation, and economic pressures" on the sector.
Empty beer kegs await collection outside the permanently closed BrewDog pub in Camden, as the UK hospitality industry reports that it is losing two venues per day. Picture: Alamy
Alongside financial troubles, the company was also hit with allegations of a “toxic attitudes” in the workplace and a “culture of fear” linked co-founders James Watt and Martin Dickie, according to a letter signed by several former employees.
BrewDog has been reporting heavy losses in revenue, of £30.5m in 2022 and £59m in 2023. Chief executive James Taylor has already admitted that the business will remain in the red this year.
Taylor, a former fashion executive who took charge after a rapid succession of leadership changes, is now under pressure to steady the business. His rebrand of BrewDog’s core beers is aimed at winning back drinkers and investors alike.
Lauren Caroll, BrewDog’s chief operating officer, said: “Independent brewers across the board have felt the squeeze from the economic pressures hitting the pub trade. With costs rising and consumers watching their spend, pub groups have been narrowing their ranges, and brewery-owned pubs are putting more emphasis on their own brands.
“It’s not just us – every independent brewer has been affected. We saw the trend coming, which is why we’ve shifted focus to high-impact channels like festivals, stadiums, and independent [pubs].”
Founded in 2007 by James Watt and Martin Dickie, BrewDog rode the craft beer boom of the 2010s with brash marketing stunts and bold, hoppy flavours.
Its antics – from driving a tank through London to brewing “the world’s strongest beer” – made it a household name.
But the company has been dogged in recent years by a series of controversies.
Alongside the letter alleging a “toxic” workplace culture, a BBC investigation later accused Watt of inappropriate behaviour towards female employees, which he denied. He stepped down as chief executive in 2024, handing control first to James Arrow – who left within a year – and then to Taylor.
Criticism has also lingered over BrewDog’s 2017 deal with US private equity firm TSG Consumer Partners, which made its founders millionaires.
The structure of the deal requires BrewDog to deliver an 18% compounding return to TSG, raising concerns about the future value of shares held by thousands of small “Equity Punk” investors who backed the brand in its early years.
Asked about the deal last month, Mr Taylor said: “I will try and create shareholder value for everybody and what happens in the future in terms of the value of that? Well, quite frankly, it’s an academic conversation for the moment.”
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