COLUMBUS, OH(February 1, 2017) – Independent craft brewer, BrewDog recently announced a new initiative as part of its ‘Equity for Punks USA’ crowdfunding raise, as it seeks sites to open a series of BrewPubs across America. The brewer has promised to prioritize those cities where more than 500 people invest, and Gloucester, Virginia has become the first city to look likely to secure a landmark location.
Equity for Punks USA launched in August 2016, and has since accrued more than 4,500 investors in the startup brewery. The money raised will fund the launch of BrewDog’s American brewery, set to launch in Columbus, Ohio this Spring. Craft beer fans have been quick to back the Scottish import, and this latest opportunity has generated significant traction across a series of American cities, indicating where BrewDog brewpubs could potentially appear in the coming years. BrewDog operates a series of 50 craft beer bars around the world, from the UK to Italy, to Japan, Brazil and beyond.
“What we’ve seen in our town is that people love craft beer, they love community and they are loving BrewDog,” said Jenny Crittenden, Executive Director of Gloucester’s Main Street Preservation Trust and longtime community member. “It’s hard to believe that late last year we had only two investors from Gloucester, but with the offer to bring a brewpub to our town if we rallied the support, we are now in the top three of cities nationwide working to get a world-famous craft beer brewpub to open here. The community – our community – has made that happen.”
The offer is still open, and more cities are encouraged to get in on the action.
“Our BrewDog bars are beer meccas, hop temples and cathedrals of malt,” said BrewDog CEO James Watt. “We strive to spread the word about awesome craft beer in our bars, embracing the local beer scene and providing a platform for the world’s best beers to be enjoyed in an inimitable setting.”
By launching one of its world-famous bars in each city that proves such investor support for the craft beer brewery, BrewDog’s nationwide U.S. expansion will create local jobs and continue its mission to promote other local craft breweries across the United States.
Gloucester’s strategy to rally investors has been a big part of its success so far, said Kendall Almerico of BankRoll Ventures, BrewDog’s securities attorney coordinating the U.S. offering.
“The Gloucester team – and they are in a town of barely 40,000 people – is doing this right and their methods could be replicated across the country,” Almerico said. “They found an ambassador to lead the charge, held community meetings, launched a Facebook page to promote the offer and, as I’m told, are even hosting living room discussions about it all.”
The latest progress of home cities can be viewed live here: https://www.brewdog.com/usa/equityforpunks/live-updates.
How it works:
Every investor in BrewDog USA Inc. (with a minimum investment of only $95) receives equity shares in the company, owns part of the Columbus brewery and the U.S. distribution of BrewDog beer. In addition, investors receive the numerous perks of being an Equity Punk including a 20 percent lifetime discount in the BrewDog USA online shop, a five percent discount in any BrewDog bar worldwide, and an invite to BrewDog’s notorious U.S. AGM (annual general mayhem) where beer, business talks and bands collide in a day-long shareholder meeting. For each city where 500 people invest in BrewDog USA Inc., when BrewDog opens its local BrewPub, investors from the area have the opportunity to notch up the following perks:
- $10 in BrewDog “Beer Bucks” for the first 500 investors in each eligible city,
- The first 100 investors in each city will have their name permanently emblazoned on the "Wall of Punks” in their local BrewDog bar, and
- The first 500 investors in each city will gain access to exclusive previews of new offers and launches at their local bar before anyone else.
Watt is particularly excited about being able to brew small batches of unique craft beer in each U.S. BrewDog pub:
“With on-site brewing in each U.S. BrewPub, we can take our bar concept to another level as we brew the beer made in the building, as well as serve brews from like-minded breweries – the beer we offer will be as fresh as possible every single time. We’re already experimenting with some awesome recipes before we’ve even set our sights on specific cities, and this is your chance to help shape those decisions for yourself.”
Founded in 2007 by two humans and one dog with a passion for craft beer, BrewDog has grown into an international sensation by turning traditional business finance on its head with its Equity For Punks crowdfunding initiatives in the U.K., Europe and now the U.S. BrewDog has recruited an army of 50,000 Equity Punks who have invested in its craft beer revolution, and have helped BrewDog to secure distribution into more than 60 countries, and grow a business that now employs more than 600 people worldwide. To help finance its U.S. expansion, in August 2016, BrewDog started its Equity For Punks USA crowdfunding offering, which received an overwhelming $1 million in the first three days of launch. Equity for Punks USA will be open until March 31, 2017.
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