Retain excise relief cry by independent craft brewers
From left: Wim De Jongh (Hope), Barbara-Anne (Bridewell) and Peter Mosley (Porterhouse) at the launch of the Independent Craft Brewers of Ireland’s pre-Budget submission.
The ICBI, representing 34 small independent craft breweries, has just submitted its pre-Budget submission to the Department of Finance.
Its submission highlights and encourages the Minister to retain the existing excise relief in the Budget.
“The independent craft brewers operate in a very difficult marketplace, dominated by multinational and global brands which enjoy a very strong market share (97%), with the artisan brewers operating from the remaining margin,” states the ICBI which emphasises how the excise relief is essential for the survival and growth of independent microbreweries across the island of Ireland.
“Every member of our association is currently developing its own small-scale artisan brewery for growth and development,” said ICBI Chairman Peter Mosley, “Many of our members are small breweries located in very rural locations and enjoy great support from their local and very loyal community by creating direct employment and tourism in the region.
“Sadly, many of our members are battling to survive. All of our artisan producers are dependent on the support from this excise relief.”
ICBI member Barbara-Anne McCabe from the Bridewell Brewery in Clifden, County Galway, went on to say, “The lack of resources available for us in the microbrewing sector is making it hard to successfully market a separate brand identity for craft beer. We rely on this relief to maintain some small chance of being able to compete with the constantly increasing competition and some major foreign brands.”
