Scottish craft breweries develop growing appetite for export and home markets
The Craft Beer Clan of Scotland, launched last year by Glasgow-based food and drink wholesaler JW Filshill has now signed up 19 brewers from across Scotland following a successful pilot with collaboration at its core.
Targeting a £2.5m annual turnover within five years, Craft Beer Clan is exporting to burgeoning markets in the Asia Pacific region, and is also in advanced discussions with distributors in Scandinavia, Dubai, Japan, Canada and North America. "We've assembled 19 award-winning craft breweries creating all beer types from porters to peat-smoked beers to the very best pale ales and craft lagers," said Chris Miller, head of export and commercial operations at JW Filshill International.
"We have brought together these amazing craft breweries whose owners are extremely forward-thinking and recognise that we have the experience and well-connected partners in key exports market."
Joining the initial four members of Craft Beer Clan - William Bros Brewing Company, based in Alloa; Eden Brewery of St Andrews; Perth-based Inveralmond Brewery; and the Deeside Brewery, Banchory - are the high-profile Glasgow-based West and Drygate breweries, Edinburgh's Caledonian Brewery, Loch Ness Brewery, Lerwick Brewery and Speyside Craft Brewery.
Other brewers which have joined the Clan include Black Wolf Brewery, Brewmeister, Broughton Ales, Fyne Ales, Jaw Brew, Knops Beer Company, Loch Lomond Brewery, Stewart Brewing and Tennent Caledonian.
The other "Clansmen" are: Charles MacLean, a leading whisky writer who is both well-known and well-connected in Asia; JongWoo Kim, who has more than 25 years in the global consumer packaged goods industry and Joe Tcheng, a Keeper of the Quaich who has 30-plus years' leadership experience in the consumer goods sector across Asia, and was managing director of South East Asia and latterly Greater China for Diageo.