Schedule

Welcome from our Host, David Lee

Russell Bisset set up Northern Monk with £5,000 he got from his granny after she sold her house in Edinburgh to downsize. Northern Monk now turns over £20 million, employs 160 people and wants to add to its stable of six bars. So how does a brewery attract funding for growth while maintaining its core identity and its independence, in a fiercely competitive market?

What do Gen Z (and Gen Alpha behind them) want from their beers? Will Ullstein, Chief Executive of data and polling business YouGov, examines a huge raft of data to paint a picture of the future beer drinker - and their attitudes towards customer service, sustainability, technology, marketing and more, to help brewers get ahead of the game.

Mark Thompson (TRKR) gives an overview of the big trends shaping the beer industry, and what’s coming over the hill. Lesley-Ann Gray (Worldpanel by Numerator) will examine off-trade trends, while Phil Montgomery (CGA) looks at the on-trade.

Will Ullstein, Mark Thompson, Lesley-Ann Gray and Phil Montgomery take your questions on the big trends affecting the beer world.

 The beer industry is constantly innovating to create new products, flavours and experiences. But how do you spot the trends that will allow your business to thrive, and the fads that might burn through much-needed cash against a challenging economic backdrop? Hear from Dan Kopman of the World Brewing Alliance about the trends in the United States and elsewhere that we should be looking at, and Alix Blease from Lallemand Brewing.

Breweries are facing a fight for survival amid ever-rising costs - but those who make the right decisions still have the opportunity to thrive and grow. Professor Dawn Maskell surveys the state of the brewing nation, and looks ahead to the creation of the £35m Centre for Sustainable Brewing & Distilling. What does the centre offer the brewing industry? How can the industry support the development of the centre? What will the new centre do that is innovative, and different?

Selling bottles and cans to take home from off-licences or supermarkets is one thing, but are brewers doing enough to harness opportunities in the on-trade? Where does the balance lie between draught products and cans or bottles - and how big can the market grow, as it grapples with changing tastes and technical challenges. Hear from low and no pioneers, including Sonja Mitchell of Jump Ship and Chris Williams from Williams Bros.

Adding a tap room and selling your beer on the premises – with food, events, and live music – can add extra strings (and greater profitability) to your business bow. But some breweries are going further and redefining themselves as community hubs for a new generation. Hear from some of the most innovative and exciting projects from around Scotland, and think about how to make your brewery stand out, and attract new visitors.

A chance to put your burning question to an expert panel - submit in advance, or on the day. Nothing is off-limits for our technical, financial, branding and market experts.