UK: Brixton Brewery to shift production to Heineken-owned craft brewing peer Beavertown Brewery

Brixton Brewery is to close its production site in south London, shifting production to Heineken-owned craft brewing peer Beavertown Brewery in Enfield, north London, The Grocer reported.

The brewer, which sold a minority stake to Heineken in 2018 before moving to full ownership in 2021, said it had outgrown its facility on Dylan Road, Loughborough Junction, and had begun to transition production to Beavertown in order to “facilitate rapidly growing demand” for its beers.

“Growth is a nice problem to have, but it is not without its challenges,” said co-founder and MD Jez Galaun. “We’ve again outgrown our production site in Brixton and need to make some changes in how the business operates.

“With the expiry of our lease coming up, we need to plan the future of our growing business,” he added.

Beavertown’s Enfield site had been “built to the highest efficiency standards” which would mean “increased levels of sustainability and reduced environmental impact” for Brixton, Galaun said.

The brewer has constructed a new meeting facility and workspace next door to its taproom and original small-batch brewery In Brixton, which is to continue producing its range of limited-edition beers.

It is also searching for a warehouse to enable it to continue direct deliveries to local stockists in south London.

“Supporting our customers and local community will remain an incredibly important part of our ethos, and a key focus for us,” Galaun said. “Without Brixton, there would be no Brixton Brewery.”

The brewer was “working hard” to offer “professional and/or personal options and support” including roles in Enfield to existing production staff, Galaun said.

There would be “minimal changes to employment conditions” for the majority of non-production staff, he added.

The news comes after the owners of Fourpure Brewery announced the closure of the brewer’s Bermondesy brewing facility last week, shifting production to Magic Rock Brewing in Huddersfield.

31 August, 2024