US cannabis beverage group buys core operations, shuts 38 bars, and preserves 733 roles, leaving 200,000 investors without returns.
Tilray, a US-based cannabis and beverage group, has paid £33 million to acquire BrewDog's UK and Irish assets. This deal will result in the loss of nearly 500 jobs and leave over 200,000 retail investors with no returns.
BrewDog's brand, intellectual property, UK brewing operations, and 11 key bars in the UK and Ireland are all included in the deal, which protects 733 jobs. However, 484 staff will be impacted by the immediate closure of 38 more bars. No bid that would have fully maintained the company was submitted, according to Administrator AlixPartners.
Tilray acknowledged that it is in separate talks to buy BrewDog's US and Australian operations; these deals are anticipated to be finalized in 30 days.
Trade group Unite the group has criticized the deal, accusing senior management of catastrophic mismanagement and denouncing how the selling process was handled. The union cited the company's precipitous drop in value, noting that BrewDog had been projected to reach a stock market price of £2 billion.
BrewDog was established in Aberdeenshire in 2007 by James Watt and Martin Dickie, and it became well-known during the 2010s craft beer boom. With the help of flagship brands like Punk IPA, Hazy Jane and Elvis Juice, it quickly expanded to encompass over 70 bars worldwide and an important retail presence.
However, the brewer has had ongoing losses, brand disputes, and operational difficulties in recent years. Due to declining sales, it was taken out of 2,000 pubs in 2025 and reported a £37 million loss last year. Irwin D. Simon, CEO of Tilray, stated that the acquisition will help BrewDog return to profitability and focus on craft excellence.
Tilray, which is already among the biggest craft brewers in the US, expands its product line to include both beer and cannabis-based consumer goods with BrewDog.
