New board member for Re-turn from Independent Brewers of Ireland
Wim de Jongh, Independent Brewers of Ireland (IBI) Re-turn small producer candidate
In the first election for the position since the Deposit Return Scheme came into operation in February 2024, Wim de Jongh of Hope Beer in Dublin has taken the Small Producer Representative seat in the boardroom. He is the candidate put forward by the Independent Brewers of Ireland (IBI) but he garnered support from a wide range of Re-turn’s small producer members — from Kombucha to minerals to juices — who feel strongly that their voice has not been adequately heard by the operators of the scheme.
The IBI has worked to try and improve the conditions for small producers in the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). The DRS is operated on behalf of the government by Re-turn.
Speaking after learning of the appointment, IBI chairperson Libby Carton of Kinnegar Brewing in Donegal explained, “We hope that our success in getting Wim elected will give small producers from both the brewing and other drinks sectors, a genuine voice on the board of this critically important business.”
“The IBI’s position is that we welcome the scheme as a whole, but we have repeatedly pointed out that its design and fee structure places an unduly heavy burden on small producers.”
Wim de Jongh was born in Dublin and raised in the Netherlands. In 2015, he set up the independent brewery, Hope Beer, in Dublin. The company has grown progressively since then and now employs eight people.
“Wim’s understanding of management and finance together with his experience as a small business owner makes him uniquely suited to represent the interests of small producers on the board of Re-turn. His goal in serving on the board will be to reduce the unfair level of burden placed on the small producer and to ensure the deposit return scheme operates equitably and sustainably for all its members,” says Carton.
