Page 12 - BrewDog Case Study

COVID-19

The enforced coronavirus lockdown meant BrewDog lost

70% of its revenue overnight, causing management to
question whether the business would be able to trade once

restrictions were lifted.

Watt and Dickie decided not to take any salary at all for all of

2020, whilst many of the company’s senior team took pay

cuts. This enabled them to protect the most amount of jobs

possible.

With nearly 100 bars closed globally and their export
business at less than 50 per cent of its usual volumes the

future looked bleak.

“At the end of March [2020] it was 50/50, I honestly

didn't know if we, as a company, would make it, "

…….."We lost 70% of our revenue overnight, customers
were saying they couldn't pay us, we couldn't get beer

into supermarkets, which is our lifeline, because they

were focusing on essentials and alcohol wasn't

essential.” (17)

With the reopening of the economy the challenges facing

the company became manifest. Things, it was thought

would be very tough for the hospitality industry for the next
six to twelve months.

Different bars in different locations were affected to a

different extent. For BrewDog its Central London bars had