Harviestoun Brewery

“Scottish Development International helped us identify, research and visit new markets, and provided a credit checking facility for new customers."

– Chris Millar, Managing Director of Harviestoun

For more than 25 years, Harviestoun Brewery has been brewing and selling award-winning craft beer, with great success in the home market. In the last few years, after a management buy-out, and having received extensive support from Scottish Development International (SDI) and Scottish Enterprise (SE), the brewery has more than tripled its export business and is now trading in 15 lucrative international markets, with some award-winning new specialist products.

The challenge

When Chris Miller, Managing Director, took over Harviestoun three years ago he was determined to realise the company’s brands and international potential.

“We inherited a strong core portfolio of products which were well represented domestically but exports sat at only 5 percent of turnover. International sales were reactive: orders were shipped as a result of enquiries, and there was no strategy in place to change that.

“My co-director and I were very experienced in the domestic drinks business, and although we recognised the potential in foreign markets, we lacked the necessary expertise.”

Recognising the problem, Scottish Enterprise Account Manager Stewart Wyllie set up a review in the form of a Strategy Workshop.

How SDI helped

“My co-director and I spent two full days over a period of two to three weeks with a Scottish Enterprise specialist looking at where we wanted Harviestoun to be – in effect, selling new products to new markets in the Americas, Northern Europe and Scandinavia. We explored new markets in detail looking at per capita spend, willingness to try new products, the types of food that would be eaten alongside drinks and so on.”

The results of that workshop were used as a template for driving the business going forward.

“New products were an integral part of the strategy with regard to our export business,” adds Chris, “and Scottish Enterprise helped us, in particular with a new product called ‘Ola Dubh’ – an ale matured in Highland Park barrels, with the design of the brand as well as with invaluable marketing, PR and e-commerce advice.

“Scottish Development International helped us identify, research and visit new markets, and provided a credit checking facility for new customers.

“We also took advantage of the Smart Exporter programme which parcels up all the services and support available from SDI with those from the Chambers of Commerce (CoC). We use CoC services locally on the administrative side of Export Certification which helps ensure we fill in the right forms and address any tax issues.”

On-going support

Scottish Enterprise continues to provide Harviestoun with support ranging from web development and e-commerce, to financial consultancy, design and PR.

A recently awarded Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) grant is currently helping the business review plant, equipment and recruitment; their largest SE funded project to date.

The impact

As a direct consequence of a Scottish Enterprise Strategy Workshop, Harviestoun has increased its export business from 5 percent to 20 percent of turnover. New products are now available in 15 international markets with more on the way. And Harviestoun has made the transition from being a reactive to being a truly international proactive business.