Good prospects are brewing
Scottish brewers should act now to benefit from post- EU growth plans
Brewing is responsible for turnover of around £500m each year to the Scottish economy, and there are plans to increase this to £1bn by 2030*. As those plans grow, brewers will have to work through any changes brought about by the fact that the UK has now left the EU. The transition period ends on December 31, so now is the time to make sure those business changes are in place.
Fallen Brewing is a Stirling-based craft brewery that’s been in operation for six years and employs five people. Based in an old railway station, the brewery boasts views of the Trossachs and the southwest Highlands. The brainchild of Paul Fallen, the brand has recently made the decision to withdraw from UK supermarkets and concentrate entirely on independent pubs, bars and retailers.
Neither is it currently focused on exporting its beer, a decision Paul made in 2016. He explains: “We had been executing an export strategy, but decided to focus on the domestic market for a few years, and wait until things became clearer, but we’re now actively researching export possibilities.”
While he uses pure Scottish water, Paul imports hops, malt and yeast from across the world. He’s now working to ensure his supply chain is unaffected as some food products now have extra checks in place.
Paul is aware that his exports to the EU are set to grow, and he’s keen not to get left behind. “Scotland’s plan to increase the income from brewing is really positive. It’s vital that Scottish brewers and others working to produce food and drink are aware of changes they need to make – especially around the labelling of products and how goods such as alcohol are marketed,” he says.
Anyone wishing to export to the EU must have an EORI (Economic Operator Registration and Identification) number. It’s a unique ID code that’s used to track and register customs information in the EU. The code takes about a week from application to receive.
Paul says: “Brewing is a growth area in Scotland, and as an industry we must make sure we are ready to trade successfully throughout the EU post-December 31. I’d urge all business owners to use gov.uk/transition as soon as possible to make sure their businesses run smoothly through the end of transition.”