Greg explains why the community is being offered the opportunity to invest in the expansion of Stroud Brewery:

AWARD-winning organic beer producer, Stroud Brewery, have launched an ethical investment offer in the hope of raising £300,000.

Working with Triodos Bank, a global pioneer in sustainable banking, the funds will be used to kit out the new brewery and bar that the company is moving to this autumn.

Investors will also become members of the Stroud Brewery Beer Club for the period of the bond, giving them a 10 per cent discount on their Stroud Brewery beer purchases online or in the bar.

Stroud Brewery has been brewing beer for 12 years at its home in Thrupp, just outside Stroud.

The new site is only 400 yards away and has been designed to accommodate the organic brewery’s growing needs.

 

Greg at the new site of the brewery in Brimscombe

Providing greater capacity for beer production, storage facilities, event spaces and larger offices, the site will be more sustainable; with heat reclamation, rainwater harvesting and solar electricity. There will also be a brand-new taproom bar with canal side views across one of the Cotswold’s valleys.

Greg Pilley, managing director of Stroud Brewery said that he is looking forward to working with the community to take the business forward;

“This is a significant development for Stroud Brewery and will provide us with the platform to take the business to the next stage," Greg said.

"There is no way we could have imagined this six years ago when we moved in to our existing site.

“The new brewery will allow us to ensure we retain and enhance our quality reputation but also to develop a range of new beers.

"We are proud to be recognised for our ethos of sustainability and for producing a nationally recognised range of organic beers.

"When we first started talking about this project we wanted to ensure that sustainability was at the core of the build and accommodate an ecologically designed brewery giving us a strong identity, a visitor destination and a vibrant community space.

 

Greg says he hopes that the new brewery will be 'a vibrant community space'

"This crowdfunding campaign will give our customers further opportunities to invest in the brewery’s sustainable practices such as rainwater capture and solar photovoltaic panels.”

Stroud Brewery is a fast-growing profitable company with turnover of £1 million in 2018 and is one of only a handful of solely organic brewers in the UK.

It is a regional supplier which is trying to produce beer sustainably using short chains and lightweight packaging, as well as reusing waste grains and hops for cattle feed and compost.

The malt and barley are sourced from within 15 miles of the brewery.

To develop the bond offer, Stroud is working with Triodos Bank, Europe’s leading sustainable bank.

Dan Hird, head of the Triodos corporate finance team said that the bank had been impressed by the brewery: “We are delighted to be working with Stroud Brewery at such an exciting time for the company.

"We have been impressed with the management team and their commitment to sustainability through the whole supply chain.

"It is a great fit with Triodos given our existing support for the organic food & farming sector.

"We are committed to helping people make a positive impact with their money, through saving and investing. With this bond offer people can invest directly into a local and organic business which helps people make a positive choice with their spending as well.”

Earlier this year, Triodos became the first registered UK bank to launch an investment crowdfunding platform and has raised £18.2 million across seven deals since then.

The bonds are open to anyone that registers on the Triodos platform and will pay five per cent interest with capital repaid after seven years.

As with all investments, interest payments are not guaranteed, and capital is at risk. The bonds are eligible to be held in a Triodos Innovative Finance ISA which allows investors to earn interest tax-free.

The details of the crowdfunding can be found at triodoscrowdfunding.co.uk

An informal information afternoon will be held at Stroud Brewery this Saturday (August 11) from 1pm for those interested in the investment opportunity.