Crafting Growth: Exploring the Emerging Potential & Challenges for Scotland's Craft Beer Sector

This White Paper reports on the findings of a Scottish Universities Insights Institute (SUII) funded project, which brought together leading European craft brewers, and academics studying the sector, from eight countries, led by a team from the University of Strathclyde and Heriot-Watt University. The aim of the project was to collectively explore barriers to growth, as well as development opportunities, for craft brewing at firm, sectoral, regional, national, and international levels. The White Paper first sets out the six key areas of challenge which emerged from the study, namely: resourcing growth, marketing communications, market expansion, building skills, working with the value chain, and, crucially, legislation and support structures. Key recommendations to emerge from the workshop-driven study are discussed in detail.