Small Beer has a growing on-trade presence while its off-trade image has gone nationwide.
Co-founders Felix James and James Grundy tell The Morning Advertiser about how they got into the trade, the difficulties they face day to day and a few of their career highlights.
James has brought a wealth of experience from his quality and operations roles at Fuller’s and AB InBev and with 20 years of brewing experience under his belt, he met co-founder Grundy during his time as head of operations at Sipsmith gin distillery.
Grundy adds: “I started life at Majestic Wine on their graduate programme, rising up the store ranks and then to Sipsmith to support the resurgence of craft gin and the London Dry style in its birthplace between 2009 and 2017.
“The on-trade was always my baby and I was fortunate to be able to build a 19-strong sales team over that period made up of incredible individuals. Our ethos was that the on-trade was always about people – we were visible, deeply passionate and always energised to bring fresh thinking.”
Pressure is always going to be present as business owners and Grundy admits his affinity to pubs and bars is a real bugbear. He says: “A frustration would be how heavily tied the on-premise is now. I made visits to a variety of sites within four of the largest London pub operators and found only one pub to be carrying an independent London brewery on a single rotational line.”
James adds: “Running the brewery can certainly feel like spinning plates at times. I enjoy the buzz of staying calm under pressure but then I don’t take lightly if our beer or our people take a knock.”
However, each founder is able to cite highlights during their careers.
James says: “I am blessed to have worked at some of the capital’s most iconic drinks producers during their respective heydays. The buzz of working in a well-oiled team is enthralling and something we’re so glad to have captured at the brewery.
Grundy reveals: “Both at Sipsmith and Small Beer, we have been building ‘net new’ categories. Albeit styles that were rooted in history. Arguably, there has been more category education to do with mid-strength than there was with gin, but the joy of being a punter at a bar when groups order Small Beer or tell their friends about the taste and benefits of drinking it provides an incredible high.”
Of course, everyone has to deal with the not-so-good times and James states the lowest point for him was realising that by making alcohol, he was complicit in “fuelling the destructive behaviours of a small minority of people” and adds “I sleep well at night in the knowledge that we provide an alternative to drinking at the extremes”.
Grundy laments: “Both Felix and I have committed an untold number of working hours to our jobs, I also travel a huge amount, which means that, personally, I’ve missed a lot of time with my two beautiful daughters as they have been growing up. It’s why holidays are so important for our family.
“Where possible I try to switch off from work during these periods to be fully present in whatever the activity may be that we’re enjoying. That said, when you love what you do and are passionate about the industry it’s very rare that you’ll hear me complaining.”
Immensely rewarding
Continuing the family theme, James says balancing a family and work can be tough at times yet adds: “They are both so immensely rewarding that I couldn’t imagine a life without either one. A core value of ours at Small Beer is to embody the balanced lifestyle so central to the brand – I have to say that drinking mid-strength beer certainly makes that task easier.”
Has anything surprised either of the co-founders of the London-based brewery that offers its beers on draught from Oxford to south-east London and in the off-trade nationally?
James says: “I have found it a great relief to discover that creative problem solving pays off at all levels of business.” While Grundy states: “You are constantly trying to strike a balance between fighting fires, prospecting for new business and supporting/nurturing the team. It’s an ongoing plate spinning exercise.”
Grundy of Small Beer, which makes beers at 2.8% ABV and lower, talks about what he would do if starting from scratch again. He explains: “From Brexit to Covid and now the uncertainty around US trade, it’s not all been smooth sailing.
“We’ve moved from a market where revenue was key and funding was available to support growth to one where profitability is what shareholders and prospect investors look for over revenue growth at all costs. This has required us to make crucial structural changes.
“Over the past 24 months, growth capital has been considerably more scarce but there appear to be some green shoots on the horizon.”
And on regrets… “We all regret not spending more time with the people we love, but then that’s life,” says James and Grundy adds: “I’m not always the best at taking in the view but instead looking to ‘what next?’.
“It’s important to celebrate the wins, big and small and to acknowledge the successes and leave space to feel proud.”
More positively, James says: “As London’s first and only BCorp brewery, we talk about using business as a force for good. It blows my mind to think of the millions of litres of water we have saved making our beer over the past eight years, the collective fun that has been had drinking our beer and the absence of sore heads the following morning… I’m not sure you can get much better than that.”
Grundy adds he loves seeing what former employees are doing now and whether Small Beer has inspired their future career choices.
On advice for younger people wanting to attain the heights the duo has achieved, Grundy says: “Get as much experience as you can and stick at it, hard work and grafting still counts for a lot.”
James chips in: “Work for the best in your respective field and ask them first-hand about their personal experience – it sounds obvious, but how many people can say they’ve actually been there and done it?”
Leadership can be inspired by oneself and James says he has volunteered for an outdoors educational charity for much of his adult life. One of the principles of Small Beer is to carry out small, selfless acts for the good of the community and it is one he believes has had a strong, positive influence on the business.
Incredibly fortunate
Meanwhile, Grundy is keen on meditation and says a huge amount goes on in a business owner’s life day to day, both professional and personal, and if you’ve not got coping mechanisms, it could really weigh on you 24/7.
Neither of the south Bermondsey business’s leaders has found loneliness to be a factor at the top of the tree.
James explains: “I’m incredibly fortunate to run our business alongside my brilliant co-founder and with the encouragement of my ever-adoring family.
“It’s all a matter of perspective – I have come to know and care for so many people throughout the past eight years, probably more than at any other time in my life.
Grundy adds: “I’m very fortunate, when there were just four of us back at the start of Sipsmith – the two founders, our distiller Chris and myself. I always had Chris to go to and that remained the case when the business was 60 people strong.
“In the same breath now, Felix and I have very clearly defined roles within our business but are always there to support each other whether it’s for a key decision or simply for someone to vent to.”
Their generosity feeds into advice for any smaller breweries and pub groups wishing to grow.
Grundy says: “Get the foundations in place both from a customer (regular revenue) and operational (ability to fulfil in a timely manner) perspective ahead of trying to grow before that has been done.
James adds: “You can trust me to bang the mid-strength drum here. Honestly, there is a vast, untapped opportunity to capture a modern audience who are looking for a means of moderating their alcohol intake.
“If you’re a pub that doesn’t stock a mid-strength beer or a brewery who doesn’t yet brew one, I would encourage you to join the movement.”
Both James and Grundy explain what excellent leadership means to them and the top three qualities a good leader should have.
James says: “A good leader should be able to spot the strengths and develop the weaknesses of each member of their team. They need to live and breathe integrity, trust and a willingness to let their hair down every now and then
“Excellent leadership is providing a clear vision of the path ahead and then maintaining the communications and integrity required to get there.
Grundy simply states: “I’m inspired by others’ passion for their work and the three qualities needed are resilience, compassion and humility.”
