Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Beer importer has high ‘hops’ for its American dream
Firm starts crowfunding page to raise £350k
A beer importer and distributor founded in Canterbury is aiming to raise £350,000 to improve the shipping of craft beers from America.
The Bottle Shop brings beers from top US breweries to the likes of companies such as Byron Hamburgers, Brewdog and Curzon Cinemas, as well as running its own pubs and stores.
It has already raised £118,000 in a crowdfunding campaign which values the business at £3.1 million, after growing turnover by more than £1 million each year since 2015.
It raised its profile in the county after opening its first “fully-featured bar” in Margate’s Old Town in June last year, “giving the locals and tourists a fantastic craft beer experience”, according to founder Andrew Morgan.
It launched in 2010, in the Goods Shed in Canterbury, where it sells more than 200 bottles and two keg-lines, adding its wholesale business in 2013.
It has run a tap room and shop in Bermondsey for three years.
The firm, which imports beer from “small-batch breweries”, wants to use the money raised – in exchange for 10% of the business – to set up a Coldchain, which will protect its US imported beer “from brewery to bar”.
It wants to create a network of refrigerated trucks, shipping containers and warehouses to protect the product, in market which has enjoyed 8% compound growth in the last five years.
It will also be used to refrigerate its London warehouse and open a chilled unit in Manchester to serve the north of England, plus open two new Bottle Shops in London and revamp its website.
Mr Morgan said: “One huge differentiator when it comes to realising the value of American beer is refrigerated distribution.
“In Europe, we have been drinking long-life beer that is designed to survive supermarket shelves and warm sunny days. In America, they are drinking fresh beer designed to be refrigerated.”
Mr Morgan says he cares about American beer so much “because it’s so good”, adding that to continue accessing fresh US beer they need a refrigerated platform.
The crowdfunding campaign will run on the Crowdcube website until Saturday, June 17.
Mr Morgan added: “It’s truly fantastic to work with the world’s greatest breweries.
“Anybody who has travelled to America and tasted that fresh, lovely, hoppy, gorgeous beer knows there is something better about it.
“We have got the infrastructure, the relationships and the talent. All we need now is support to bring the best beer possible – the freshest and mostchilled wonderful American beer – to the UK. It’s going to be a game-changer.”