The organisation, which represents almost 900 breweries across the UK, has scrapped its ‘Associate Brewing membership’ category (which was previously for brewers producing more than 200,000 hectolitres (hl) per year) as part of a two-year review of its membership criteria.
However, breweries that produce between 200,000hl and 1% of the UK beer market (approximately 430,000hl) will have opportunity to apply for a new ‘Level 6’ membership.
Level 6 applications will receive rigorous analysis, including taking into account the view of the relevant region of the organisation, to make sure the applicants reflect SIBA’s values and principles.
Level 6 members will pay between £2,360 and £5,000 per year, but will have the same voting rights as any other type of member. Associate members previously did not have voting rights within SIBA.
Who will be affected?
Breweries likely to be affected by the changes could include the likes of Fuller's, St Austell, Heineken, Molson Coors and Marston’s. While Fuller's and St Austell would be eligible to apply for Level 6 membership, it is thought that Marston's brew more than 1% of the UK beer market. As global brewers, Heineken and Molson Coors are not eligible for Level 6 membership.
In order to become a member of SIBA, breweries must now be: British, independent, brew less than 1% of the UK beer market and share the “values and principles” of the organisation.
SIBA has defined independent as producing less than 60,000hl a year, or producing more than 60,000hl a year while also not being connected to any other brewery.
In order to be classified as British, the brewery must be permanently established and brew a minimum of 75% of its production in the UK.
Broadening the remit
SIBA chief executive Mike Benner said the move to remove global brewers from the membership, while at the same time broadening SIBA’s remit to larger independent brewers, enables the organisation to deliver on its vision statement as the voice of British independent brewing.
“We have listened carefully to members’ views on who we represent and we will continue to champion the smallest independent brewing businesses as the representative voice of British independent brewing,” he said. “Associate brewing membership is no more; all brewing members have one voice, and there are no more global brewing members of any kind.”
“We have now also introduced a new Level 6 category of membership for businesses between 200,000hl and 1% of the UK market, with only businesses that can demonstrate that they sign up to SIBA’s values and principles able to join the society.
“The emphasis will be on them to make the case and they must first convince their region of SIBA that they share our values and principles. These changes allow SIBA to better represent our diverse industry and continue to act as the voice of British independent brewing.”