Hogs Back owner saves Mondo in pre-pack deal
London craft brewer Mondo has secured its future after agreeing an investment deal for an undisclosed sum with brewing industry veteran Rupert Thompson.
Following a pre-pack administration, the agreement will see brewing continue at Mondo's Battersea site. As well as delivering a fresh capital injection to drive growth of Mondo brands including Dennis Hopp'r, Road Soda and Little Victories, the financing will allow investment to be made in the Mondo taproom, located alongside its brewery, and in additional sales and marketing activities.
Thompson, owner of Farnham-based traditional English ale brewer Hogs Back Brewery, becomes chairman of a new company, Mondo Beer, working to support the management team led by Mondo founder and MD Todd Matteson.
Under the agreement, Hogs Back will support Mondo as a sister business in areas such as packaging, sales and marketing, while Mondo will be the exclusive London distributor of beers from Hogs Back's new subsidiary One Planet Brewing, launched last year and brewing with 100% solar power.
Matteson said that demand for Mondo's beers remains strong, but the business has been hit by challenges that many small brewers are currently facing.
"It's wonderful that Rupert has been able to help, and this allows us to move forward," he said. "His experience of developing successful beer brands will be invaluable and we're delighted to have him working with us at Mondo Beer, and to have the back up of Hogs Back Brewery.
"We are also excited to have exclusivity for One Planet beers in London. The 100% solar brewed commitment is completely different, and we think it will really resonate with our customers."
Thompson acknowledged that it is a challenging market but noted that despite that, Mondo has been growing. He said: "I've known and respected the founders of Mondo, Todd and Tom, for several years. We've sold their beers in our Brewery Shop, and we brewed a collaboration beer in 2022.
"The beers and branding are excellent, and I think they have a bright future ahead. Customers want to see imaginative independent and local brands that are not owned by global brewers."
With a growing number of independent brewers having closed over recent months, Thompson believes alliances such as the new one between Hogs Back and Mondo offer a way forward for the sector.
He said: "I firmly believe that, now more than ever, brewers with similar outlooks and independence of spirit need to work together to maintain the diversity at the heart of British beer culture.
"Although Mondo Beer is a standalone business, in terms of synergies with Hogs Back, this is a real town-and-country alliance. By leveraging Mondo's existing distribution strength in London, more pubs and bars will have direct access to Hogs Back beers including the flagship cask ale Tongham traditional English Ale. Crucially, we can also now meet demand from the London market for One Planet beers."
Image of Mondo's Todd Matteson and Hogs Back's Rupert Thompson by Nic Crilly-Hargrave
