Having hit its initial crowdfunding target of £40,000 ahead of its 16th June deadline, Manchester Union Brewery, has created a stretch target for its Together We CAN campaign. It now hopes to raise a total of £60,000 to purchase its own canning machine and hire its first employee.
Having lost its revenue overnight due to the UK-wide lockdown, the brewery launched its crowdfunding campaign to raise £40,000 in order to break into commercial retail in June 2020, by moving its product from keg to can.
Having hit target with the support of approximately 500 pledgers, a week in advance of its deadline, the brewery is now stretching its target to £60,000 for the final week of the campaign.
The funds raised so far will be put toward the necessary materials for canning the brewery’s craft lager, but an additional £20,000 will provide the business with the funds to put a deposit down on its own canning machine to lower the cost of canning and allow it to can small batches of seasonal and limited edition beer. If met, the stretch target will also enable Manchester Union Brewery to hire its first employee.
Brewery director, Jamie Scahill, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the support and generosity we’ve received during this challenging time. When the lockdown put a stop to business as usual, we knew we would have to be bold and act fast in order to keep the business afloat, but without the help of more than 500 supporters who’ve pledged money to help us, it simply wouldn’t be possible for us to branch out into commercial retail as we’re now able to do.
“Grateful is an understatement — we’re so appreciative and over the moon at having hit our original £40K target, and to now be in a position to stretch that target and hopefully afford our own canning machine and an employee is beyond what any of us hoped for from this campaign. Thank you to everyone who has supported our cause.”
To find out more, click crowdfunder.co.uk/togetherweCAN
