BrewDog boss: I truly apologise
Beer chief says he regrets staff feeling ‘uncomfortable’ after backlash against firm
BREWDOG’S beleaguered CEO James Watt has apologised to anyone he made feel uncomfortable after claims over “inappropriate” behaviour emerged on the BBC.
He promised to change his ways, despite insisting the accusations against him are false.
A statement on the BrewDog online forum denied the main criticisms by former staff on Monday’s BBC Disclosure show.
These included a claim that BrewDog made false customs declarations when exporting beer to the US. The company admitted “cutting corners”.
The show followed up on claims of a toxic culture at the firm, which has used controversy to boost publicity and raised money through share offers to loyal customers, some of whom now feel exploited.
The BBC programme included accusations about Watt’s behaviour, including from staff in the US who claimed Watt took drunk female customers on late night tours of a brewery.
BrewDog was also accused of asking the Scottish Government for a £1.5million grant for a tree planting scheme that customers thought was funded using sales.
It was also claimed that Watt personally bought £500,000 of Heineken shares, despite slamming the “big beer” firm’s product.
In response, Watt said: “Yesterday I was accused of inappropriate behaviour by the BBC.
“Of all the false claims made in the programme, this was of course the most upsetting and damaging.
“Firstly, I sometimes date when I am in America and I fully accept I have taken friends, colleagues and yes, dates, on tours of the brewery. I do not consider this inappropriate.
“Secondly, and more importantly, I hugely regret anyone feeling in any way uncomfortable around me, as the programme set out.
“This is absolutely the last thing I want and something I will learn from immediately. I truly apologise to anyone who felt this way. This was never my intention.”
Watt went on to say: “I am trying to be a better leader, and to be far more mindful of the impact I have on our team when I am on site.”
After the programme ran, the Ascension Cider brand, based in Sussex, announced that it would be pulling its stocks from BrewDog’s pubs, adding: “JW will never profit from our products again.”