New York-based Tilray Brands acquires BrewDog - paying £33M for the Scottish brewer
A New York based consumer packaged goods company has bought the Scottish brewer.
BrewDog has been bought by a New York-based firm with 484 staff to be made redundant following the £33m deal.
Tilray Brands Inc has bought ‘certain highly strategic assets’ of BrewDog’s global platform, including the global brand and related intellectual property, the UK brewing operations and 11 pubs in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Meanwhile, 38 bars are due to close with 484 staff to be made redundant.
A total of 733 staff will transfer their employment to Tilray.
Tilray, which is focussed on the beverages, cannabis and wellness markets, is separately negotiating to acquire certain BrewDog assets in the United States and Australia.
Founded in 2007, BrewDog quickly became one of the largest independent craft beer brands in the United Kingdom with its portfolio of craft, premium and low and no alcohol beer brands, including Punk IPA, Hazy Jane, Lost Lager and Wingman.
Tilray said the acquired asset portfolio presented a “significant opportunity” for growth in the UK and previously untapped international markets.
Irwin D. Simon, chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Tilray Brands, said: “BrewDog is one of the most iconic, mission-driven craft beer brands in the UK. It helped redefine modern craft beer through bold innovation, fearless creativity and an unwavering commitment to great beer.
“What makes BrewDog truly special has always been its brewers, its brewpubs and its passionate community of beer fans.
“As we begin a new chapter for this great brand, our priority is to refocus BrewDog on the craft beer excellence that made it beloved in the first place and strategically invest to return the operations to profitable growth.
“BrewDog’s future is bright, and we are committed to ensuring the brand continues to lead and inspire the global craft beer movement.
“Tilray’s management brings operational and strategic expertise, a diversified global beverage infrastructure and a disciplined investment approach needed to unlock BrewDog’s next phase of growth.
“In addition, my team and I have significant experience in the UK market where we previously built a $1.5 billion consumer packaged goods business at my prior company with beloved brands, including Ella’s Kitchen, Hartleys, Tilda, New Covent Garden and Linda McCartney.
“With the BrewDog acquisition, our total global beverage platform is expected to grow to $500 million in annual revenue, creating one of the largest diversified craft beverage platforms globally.
“Through this expanded platform, we see significant growth opportunity for BrewDog through broader distribution and the ability to invest back into brand and innovation, while introducing Tilray’s complementary beverage brands into international markets. On a combined basis, we expect Tilray’s diversified global business to reach ~$1.2 billion in annualised revenue.”
The pubs bought by Tilray include Edinburgh DogHouse and Lothian Road, Dogtap Ellon, Dublin, Birmingham, Canary Wharf, Manchester, Paddington, Seven Dials, Tower Hill, and Waterloo.
The proposed U.S. and Australia components of the acquisition will be subject to a separate purchase agreement to be negotiated by the parties and is expected to be finalised and closed in approximately 30 days.
All BrewDog bars are closed today as the sale is being finalised. The news comes just months after managing director of distilling, Steven Kersely, left the business, which followed on from the departure of BrewDog co-founder and BrewDog distilling CEO Martin Dickie in August 2025.
His decision to leave the business came just a month after it was announced that BrewDog would be closing ten bars, including their flagship venue in Aberdeen - the site of their first bar.
BrewDog announced job cuts across the business last October after it posted a £37 million loss. In 2024 BrewDog faced backlash after it announced it’d no longer be paying employees the living wage. The firm has also faced controversy around former co-founder James Watt, who, it has been rumoured, was planning to buy back control of the business.
Mr Watt stepped down as CEO in 2024 after several reports and a BBC investigation into inappropriate behavior.
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