BrewDog co-founder bids to buy back beer company

BrewDog’s co-founder has made a bid to buy back the craft beer firm just months after it was rescued from administration by US company Tilray.

James Watt has tabled an offer to buy the business through his new beer firm Second Best.

He claims 43,000 so-called equity punk investors have joined forces on the bid.

The move follows New York-based Tilray’s acquisition of BrewDog in March, which resulted in the closure of 36 bars in the UK and close to 500 workers losing their jobs.

James said: “If we succeed, every registered punk gets their BrewDog equity back, for free.

“We’d also restore the real living wage, bring back the team’s equity and put the community back at the heart of the business.”

The entrepreneur co-founded BrewDog in Aberdeenshire in 2007, and previously apologised to staff and investors for what he said were “mistakes” made during his time at the helm.

He said he was “heartbroken” for those who had lost investments after the company was taken over by Tilray.

Want your business, product or service to be seen regionally and nationally? Bdaily helps you get your story in front of the right audience, every day. Find out how Bdaily can help →

Join more than 55,000 subscribers by signing up to our daily bulletin each morning here.