Craft beer has not lost its froth, says new owner of three troubled breweries

Craft beer has a bright future in Britain despite the loss of dozens of independent breweries in the past year, the new owner of Brew by Numbers, Black Sheep Brewery and Brick Brewery has said.

Breal Capital, which is funded by private family offices, said it had rescued the three breweries because it expected craft beer consumption to continue to grow and that bigger players with strong brands would thrive.

“There is growth in craft,” Neil Gostelow, investment director, said. “It suffered badly as a result of Covid and the way the people financed the businesses [but] we see real potential in this industry.”

Forty-five independent breweries across the UK became insolvent in the year to the end of March, according to the accountancy firm Mazars, up from 15 the previous year, owing to competition, rising costs and falling consumer spending.

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