Catering Scotland

Scotland Food & Drink has made a rallying call for consumers to buy Scottish beer this Christmas, as an ambitious new strategy is unveiled. Aiming to grow Scottish brewing into a £1bn industry by 2030, the plan follows the results of a year-long study carried out by the Brewing Industry Leadership Group, a new body commissioned by SF&D to identify the challenges of growing the Scottish brewing sector and supply chain.

Group chair, Hilary Jones (pictured with Scottish Greens MSP Patrick Harvie), has revealed the outcome of the study in a new report entitled Brewing Up A Storm. ‘Scotland now has over 130 operating breweries supporting over 8,000 jobs but despite having centuries of history behind us, the rising popularity of global craft beer means that Scotland needs to sharpen its game if it is to remain an international leader,’ she said.

‘We as a country have a reputation for brewing quality and there are many opportunities for future growth, but we need a unified approach that can maximise potential and drive quality.  The new strategy brings a collaborative approach to tackle several challenges including infrastructure, tax, marketing, exporting and the availability of a ready-skilled group of people who see brewing as a desirable career.’

The report reveals 16 recommendations, including:

• Promote brewing as a career of choice with multiple entry points
• Fill current and future skills gaps and upskill the industry
• Strengthen management and financial skills in the industry
• Improve keg management to reduce costs and increase resource efficiency
• Use research to help Scottish brewers differentiate their beer and compete globally
• Build the reputation and hone the USPs of Scottish beer
• Help Scottish brewers reach new markets, customers and consumers
• Develop policy and regulation that make Scotland a great place to brew and buy beer

‘Essentially, we want to increase the perceived value of our beer by focusing on craftsmanship and quality, and we want consumers to buy Scottish beer, rather than imported beer – and to drink it responsibly,’ added Ms Jones. ‘We are also aiming to plug into the new Food and Drink Tourism Strategy by improving our brewing destination experiences, educating our visitors and sending an international message that we are a high quality brewing nation.’

A recent study released by the Scottish Parliament into Brewing and Distilling found that while global beer consumption has been falling, the number of start-up breweries has increased. The report also revealed that most of the growth has been in the micro-brewery market, which itself represents 83% of Scotland’s brewing base.

View the new strategy in full at www.foodanddrink.scot.