TWO Lanarkshire brothers have pursued their lifelong dream of opening a microbrewery thanks to Business Gateway support.
Launched in November 2020 by brothers Ronnie and Kenny Lees, Outlandish Brewing Company launched its first range of Scottish craft beers in December 2020.
Inspired by Scottish slang and humour, the beers are named after local lingo phrases like ‘Swally’ and ‘Beamer’ that the pair hopes will go down a treat with the ever-growing craft beer community. The core range includes an Amber Ale, Session Ale and IPA, which the pair have already secured listings for in six independent outlets across Lanarkshire and Stirling.
Following a suite of Business Gateway start up support services and a £40,000 investment of personal funding, the brothers secured second hand brewing equipment and renovated an old cow shed to create the fully functioning micro-brewery.
As well as support from their local adviser with a business plan and developing financial projections for the next three years, Outlandish Brewing Company was accepted onto the SMART Accelerator™ programme delivered through Business Gateway. Since then, Ronnie and Kenny have accessed a variety of online sessions on key topics including marketing, digital, sales strategies and business planning.
Later this year, Outlandish Brewing hope to launch a crowdfunding event to help raise additional capital that will take the business to the next level. To support the venture’s growth, Business Gateway will continue to work with Outlandish Brewing to raise awareness of the start-up brewery, including crowdfunding support and access to digital sessions to help with the development of a professional eCommerce website.
Ronnie Lees, Co-Founder, Outlandish Brewing Company, commented: “Business Gateway’s online workshops have been highly effective in improving our knowledge of digital marketing and sales and allowed us to engage with other local businesses who are at a similar stage of launching a business.
“A comprehensive support network, the guidance from Business Gateway has helped equip us to take the plunge and follow our dreams. It is great to have someone believe in your business, especially when it’s a professional. Our adviser Keith has boosted our confidence and encouraged a great level of momentum to drive our business forward in 2021.”
As well as releasing a second range of original craft beers, Outlandish Brewing Company plan to create up to five local jobs ranging from a brewing assistant, a part time administrator as well as hospitality staff to run the tap room and beer garden, which they hope will open this summer at their Lanarkshire premises, subject to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.
Keith Elrick, Business Adviser at Business Gateway, commented: “Since joining the SMART Accelerator ™ programme delivered through Business Gateway, the team at Outlandish Brewing Company have taken full advantage of a range of the resources we have available for start-ups, including a tailored package of support that helped the dynamic duo focus on key areas to get their business up and running smoothly.
“From 1:1 assistance and a range of start-up and growth support services, Business Gateway continues to provide expert business solutions to a wide range of businesses that are operating and growing throughout 2021.” For further information about how Business Gateway can support your business, please visit: https://www.bgateway.com/resources/starting-a-business
