Bristol Beer Factory (BBF) is boosting its commitment to its local community by launching a scheme called Brewed To Give.
Brewed To Give is a self-imposed tax of 2% on total brewery sales, the company explains. This investment will go to community groups and charities that are uplifting people or places across the city.
Its statement adds: “We are who we are because Bristol made us. You’ve had our back as we’ve brewed pints for sunshine sessions and global pandemics alike.
“Without Bristol, we’d just be a beer factory like any other. But you guys make the difference. This city gives us the energy it takes to Stand Independent.”
At the end of every accounting year, Bristol Beer Factory’s numbers wiz Alyssa will calculate the year’s total brewery sales. She’ll set aside 2% of that final number as stock that can be allocated toward community groups that will uplift Bristol over the next 12 months. There’s no limit on this number.
In the process of developing the idea, brewery managing director Sam Burrows talked to Kari Halford, then director at St Werburghs City Farm. She is now heading the initiative as community events Manager at BBF. Together, they developed a distribution plan called Stock, Space, Direct Support.
It works like this. BBF provides all Brewed To Give donations in the form of stock, ie beer, at cost. A beer donation gives a community group the opportunity to sell that stock at retail value, thus multiplying the takings.
Next comes space. Many community groups don’t have a pre-existing setup for selling beer. So Kari has created ‘pop-up’ bars, complete with coolers and mood lighting. Once you add the people, they’re like portable pubs.
But what if your charity organisation knows more about, say, saving hedgehogs than selling beers? Then Kari will provide plenty of direct support to make your event a success.
“Imagine if all Bristol-born businesses were giving 2%,” Kari said. “This city would be so freaking connected, and the voluntary sector would just thrive. Screw you, central government, we’re just going to look after our people ourselves.”
