BrewDog confirms job cuts to ‘right-size’ the business

BrewDog has confirmed a round of job cuts in a bid to shore up the business in the face of mounting losses.

Chief executive James Taylor announced the move in an internal memo last week, which he said would “right-size parts of the business”.

BrewDog reported a pre-tax loss of £37m in 2024, the fifth year in a row it had failed to make a profit.

The brewer has not confirmed the number of staff affected.

In a note to employees, Taylor said: “As many of you know, we’re operating in a tough and fast-changing market and in order to set BrewDog up for long-term success, we’ve taken time to review our structure and ensure we’re focusing our energy and investment in the right areas.

“As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to right-size parts of the business.”

It comes after BrewDog closed 10 bars across the UK earlier this year, including its Aberdeen flagship, blaming challenging market conditions.

Questions were raised about the brand’s future when the Telegraph reported Brewdog’s beers had been dropped from nearly 2,000 pubs, most of which are owned by large chains, cutting its distribution by more than a third.

There have also been hints of trouble behind the scenes, with the brewer now on its third chief executive in just over a year since co-founder James Watt stepped back from the role in May 2024.

Martin Dickie, who launched the brewer with Watt in 2007, also left the business this year citing personal reasons.

BrewDog operates 120 bars worldwide, around 60 of which are in the UK. Trade union Unite Hospitality said it was supporting its members to challenge the job cuts.

In a note to staff, Taylor added: “We know change can feel unsettling, and we don’t take these decisions lightly. But we are confident that the steps we’re taking now will help us operate more simply, stay focused, and drive the business forward.

“Looking ahead, Q4 will be a critical quarter for us - and we have a strong, focused commercial plan in place to deliver against our goals. We know there’s still work to do, but we’re approaching the final part of the year with focus and determination.”