The brewery chain was put up for sale earlier this month after a year of losses.

19:09, Mon, Feb 23, 2026 Updated: 19:10, Mon, Feb 23, 2026

Group of friends drinking and toasting glass of beer at brewery pub restaurant- Happy multiracial people enjoying happy hour with pint sitting at bar

Major update as £Xm plan launched to save UK brewery giant from collapse (Image: Getty)

BrewDog's founder is set to invest £10million of his own money to rescue the brewery giant after it was put up for sale following years of losses.

Insiders said James Watt, who stepped down as CEO in 2024 and retains a 22% stake in the business, told prospective partners he would contribute his own wealth for a potential buyout. It was put up for sale earlier this month, with AlixPartners appointed as advisers to find a buyer for the business or its assets. It followed a challenging trading period, with the company reporting losses of £37 million on a turnover of £ 357million last year.

BrewDog Bar Sign, Dundee Scotland

The chain suffered significant losses last year (Image: Getty)

Mr Watt's supposed proposal came as bidders were preparing to submit second-round offers for the business on Saturday, according to Sky News. Watt was said to want to buy the entire company, though the exact details were unclear.

Several large international brewers were believed to be interested in BrewDog, which is known for craft beers such as Punk IPA and Elvis Juice.

Any sale may be controversial because around 220,000 small investors' money could be at risk. These shareholders invested through BrewDog’s 'Equity for Punks' scheme. Between 2009 and 2021, the company raised roughly £75 million from customers by offering shares alongside perks such as discounts and early access to new beers.

Five years ago, BrewDog was also rocked by controversy after dozens of former employees claimed that it operated "a culture of fear" in an open letter on Twitter.

Signatories said a "significant number" of former staff had "suffered mental illness as a result of working at BrewDog". They claimed that the firm was built around a "cult of personality" of its founders. At the time, Mr Watt apologised on behalf of BrewDog.

After being founded in 2007 by Watt and Martin Dickie, it expanded rapidly to run bars, hotels and breweries across the UK and internationally.

In 2017, TSG Consumer Partners took a 21% stake in BrewDog in a deal that implied a unicorn valuation of at least $1billion.

However since then, BrewDog has struggled financially, closing bars, cutting jobs and racking up losses. Its current sale price is expected to be far lower than its once-discussed £2billion valuation.

A BrewDog spokesman said: "As with many businesses operating in a challenging economic climate and facing sustained macro headwinds, we regularly review our options with a focus on the long-term strength and sustainability of the company.

The day's biggest headlines in UK and World news Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

"Following a year of decisive action in 2025, which saw a focus on costs and operating efficiencies, we have appointed AlixPartners to support a structured and competitive process to evaluate the next phase of investment for the business.

"This is a deliberate and disciplined step with a focus on strengthening the long-term future of the BrewDog brand and its operations."