Kinloss brewery urges crowdfunders to join WooHa clan
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A FAST-GROWING Moray craft brewery has launched a crowdfunding drive to make its global vision a reality.
Kinloss-based WooHa Brewing Company is urging potential investors to "join the clan" and get behind its £600,000 crowdfunding campaign with Crowdcube, which is part of a wider £1.5 million campaign. People can invest any amount from £10 upwards and could benefit from tax reliefs through the EIS scheme.
This is the second crowdfunding campaign on the Crowdcube platform for WooHa, which describes itself as a bold, ambitious Scottish brewery with a focus on exporting. The company is looking to fortify its sales team, grow its international customer base and boost promotion.
The brewery was set up in 2015 and started exporting to the US in the same year. Its international portfolio comprises countries across Europe and south-east Asia, including the vast and rapidly growing market of China.
Money raised will also go towards the launch of WooHa’s new 500ml can for the Chinese market. This is part of WooHa’s strategy of tailoring its products to each market, having recently developed a steel keg range specifically for the US.
The brewery moved to a 6.2-acre site in Kinloss in 2017 and after appointing a new head of sales, who brings with him experience from BrewDog, Red Bull and Carlsberg, WooHa is primed and ready for growth.
The brewery’s current capacity is 5,000 hectolitres per year and the aim is to grow in-house production to 88,000 hectolitres by June 2023.
WooHa is holding a series of investor events this month in London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Inverness. The events will give people the chance to hear from WooHa founder and chief executive Heather McDonald about the next stage of the brewery’s journey and will offer potential investors the chance to ask questions about the business, its growth plans and its exit strategy.
Heather said: "We have a strong vision about how we plan to grow the brand rapidly and in a sustainable way. Key to this expansion will be our sales team as we need more people on the ground in our key markets.
"We also need robust marketing and strong support for our international partners. The funding secured through our crowdfunding campaign will help make our ambitions a reality.
"There are many things that make WooHa stand out in the marketplace that appeal to investors, as well as existing and new customers. For example, WooHa’s experience with and focus on export markets, as well as a well-defined three to five-year exit strategy.
"We even have our own WooHa tartan, listed with The Tartan Register of Scotland.
"We have big growth plans and want to give everyone a little WooHa, so now is your chance to join our clan."
For more information, visit www.crowdcube.com/companies/wooha-brewing-company/pitches/Z1nGAb.
