Northern Monk have launched a crowdfunding campaign aiming towards three key initiatives to kick-start the business’s next ambitious chapter.
The Join the Rising campaign is seeking to raise £1 million worth of funding from people wanting to own a piece of the brewery, while supporting the three initiatives.
The first is to open a flagship Northern Monk venue in London; the second is an expansion of the brewery to meet demand and become carbon zero by 2030; and the third is turning Northern Monk’s original brewery site, The Old Flax Store, Leeds, into the best brewery visitor experience in the UK.
Anyone who signs up for early access can get one free pint of Northern Monk beer from the Northern Monk refectories in Leeds and Manchester, the Northern Market in Leeds, the Lyric in Soho, London, and The Voyage of Buck in Edinburgh.
“From a damp cellar in Bradford, we set out with a £5,000 gift from a grandparent, a dream of a brewery that was Fresh from the North, and a mission to create some of the world’s best beer experiences,” said Northern Monk co-founder and managing director, Russell Bisset.
“After 11 years of brewing, we’re embarking on an exciting new era for Northern Monk, and we want to give people to chance to join us on the journey.
“We’ve only got to where we are thanks to the support of our community, and this continued support has led us to a place where we can now set ourselves exciting challenges and ambitions for the future.”
He added: “We want to bring the freshest Northern Monk experience we can to the heart of the capital. A place for our community in London and beyond to congregate. An outpost for the North has always been an ambition, but was knocked back due to the pandemic. Now, we’re ready to launch a flagship venue in the capital, before opening more tap rooms in 2025 and beyond.
Northern Monk co-founders Russell Bisset and Brian Dickson. Photographs: Tom Joy
“We want to expand our brewery capacity and operating efficiencies, including becoming fully self-reliant by 2035 and carbon zero in our direct operations by 2030.
“Finally, we want our original home, the Old Flax Store, to become the UK’s number one craft beer tourist destination and experience.”
Alongside the equity on offer, everyone who invests will gain access to various exclusive rewards depending on their investment level, including discounts, exclusive merchandise, brew days with the team, and free beer.
Since Northern Monk’s last round of investment in 2018, they’ve brewed more than 40 million pints, increased revenue by 400%, and are now stocked in all of the UK’s major retailers. Today, Northern Monk is one of the largest founder-led craft breweries in the UK.
Janice Cargo, partner at consumer specialist investment firm Active Partners, and long-standing investor in Northern Monk, said: “What Russell and the team have built at Northern Monk is nothing short of exceptional.
“From their roots in the North, they have created unrivalled beer experiences for millions, built a hugely engaged, loyal community, and are on track to become one of the largest craft breweries in Europe.
“With this proven track record of growth, we are excited to support the brand in its next chapter and welcome new and existing crowd investors to help shape Northern Monk’s future.”
To find out more, visit northernmonk.com/pages/join-the-rising
