CEO’s update James Calder on SIBA's strategy for the future

First off, I want to say a huge thank you to Ian Fozard of Roosters brewery for putting up with me over the last two years. He’s been a superlative Chairman and stepped down in June after doing his three-year stint. We’re very different people, but as Chairman and CEO we have complimentary skills, experiences and attitudes. He’s been a driving force behind many of the changes in SIBA over his term and as an unpaid volunteer he has certainly put in the hours. A big thankyou to Ian from me on behalf of every brewery in the UK for your contribution and your counsel.

I feel a little bit at the moment as if, after the hardest year of our professional and personal lives, the next year may actually be more challenging. I don’t know about you, but I do feel a bit burnt out. Beers in the sunshine and now inside have lifted all of us and our businesses upward; but consolidation in the marketplace, intense pressure on price, squeezed margins, rent and debt coming due and pressure from Government are all still there. I recently presented SIBA’s strategy for the next five years at the AGM and following Board approval the strategy in full will be unveiled to members - it attempts to tackle these issues and the many others that we face We are a small organisation and reflecting over the last year we have not gotten everything right and we haven’t achieved everything we wanted to. But we have certainly punched way above out weight class. Any strategy I put forward has to reflect upon that reality. As I’ve mentioned in a previous edition, SIBA’s strategy will focus on five pillars: Market Access, Fairness (from Government and within industry), adding Value to your business, promoting and championing Independence and driving Environmental Sustainability. By the time you read this you will have heard more on those areas at SIBA’s AGM and Members Conference on June 8th. If you missed it then you can catch up on all the AGM & Conference content (split into relevant sections) via

youtube.com/societyofindependentbrewers

We’ve also been assessing our values, and what it is we believe at SIBA:

1. Delivering for Brewers

We believe that if we are making a difference to breweries, we need to put ourselves in your shoes. Everyone at SIBA has a passion for beer, for brewing and for doing the best we can for the greatest number in our industry. We want to deliver for brewers just as you deliver for the UK’s beer lovers.

2. That independent beer is better beer

We believe that independent is better. It is more interesting, it is of higher quality and it creates jobs and supports communities. We want to make everyone in the UK think the same way as us and as a result, grow independent beer by protecting and promoting indie.

3. Building Community

We believe that beer is a force for good. Pubs, taprooms and the back garden are just some of places where people come together, have a beer and put the world to rights. Brewing is a community in itself which sees suppliers, brewers, hospitality and customers all rely on each other. We believe in building community.

4. Sustainability

We believe we have an important role to play in addressing climate change. We are an industry that uses significant energy, water and raw materials. We have made great strides, but more can be done to reduce our impact and dependencies on the world.

5. Inclusivity

We believe that the brewing industry should be accessible and accepting to everyone, regardless of who you are. We believe everyone has a right to enjoy independent beer and not be harassed, judged or be discouraged from being a part of independent brewing.

6. Quality

We believe that every beer should be brewed, packaged, dispensed and stored to the highest possible standards so that every time someone chooses independent, that beer is guaranteed to be enjoyed and savoured.

7. Fairness

We believe that everyone within the supply chain deserves to be treated fairly and equitably. From the farmer to the bar worker, with distributor, supplier, bottle shop, brewer, publican and everyone in between able to make a fair living. Where we see unfairness, we call it out and aim to improve it.

8. Working together

As a small, fragmented industry, we believe we are stronger if we work together. Despite the many ways in which we can define ourselves; of old vs new, small vs large, cask vs keg, independence is the thing we all have in common and we all believe in. We believe that if we collaborate, we can achieve more than if we work alone. We want to unify the independent sector, not drive it further apart.

The last year has been one which none of us expected. But I hope in the years to come SIBA as an organisation can grow and with it so can the fortunes of your businesses. It’s not going to be easy, but nothing worth doing ever is.

James Calder

Chief Executive

SIBA