Northern Monk’s Euro dream begins with fundraising
The Leeds-based brewer has announced three key initiatives to kick start the next chapter for the business under the moniker of ‘Join the Rising’ with the funding targeted at putting the wheels in motion for the long-term ambition of becoming a craft giant in Europe.
The first initiative is to open a flagship Northern Monk venue in London; the second is an expansion of the brewery to meet demand and become carbon zero by 2030; and the third initiative is turning Northern Monk’s original brewery site, The Old Flax Store, Leeds, into the best brewery visitor experience in the UK.
Anyone who signs up for early access can get one free pint of Northern Monk beer from the Northern Monk Refectories in Leeds and Manchester, the Northern Market in Leeds, the Lyric in Soho, London, and the Voyage of Buck in Edinburgh.
New era
Northern Monk co-founder and managing director Russell Bisset said: “From a damp cellar in Bradford, we set out with a £5,000 gift from a grandparent, a dream of a brewery that was fresh from the north and a mission to create some of the world’s best beer experiences.
“After 11 years of brewing, we’re embarking on an exciting new era for Northern Monk, and we want to give people to chance to join us on the journey.
“We’ve only got to where we are thanks to the support of our community and this continued support has led us to a place where we can now set ourselves exciting challenges and ambitions for the future.
“We want to bring the freshest Northern Monk experience we can to the heart of the capital. A place for our community in London and beyond to congregate. An outpost for the north has always been an ambition but was knocked back due to the pandemic. Now, we’re ready to launch a flagship venue in the capital, before opening more taprooms in 2025 and beyond.
Self-reliant by 2035
“We want to expand our brewery capacity and operating efficiencies, including becoming fully self-reliant by 2035 and carbon zero in our direct operations by 2030.
“Finally, we want our original home, the Old Flax Store, to become the UK’s number one craft beer tourist destination and experience.”
Alongside the equity on offer, everyone who invests will gain access to various exclusive rewards depending on their investment level, including discounts, exclusive merch, brew days with the team, and free beer.
The business said since Northern Monk’s last round of investment in 2018, it has brewed more than 40m pints and increased revenue by 400%.
