Contract brewer, Tribe Breweries, has acquired Gold Coast craft brewer Black Hops out of voluntary administration. The price has not been disclosed, but Tribe says all Queensland roles and 90 per cent of jobs nationally to be retained.
Black Hops Craft and Green Hops Brewing entered voluntary administration on 21 July, with Chris Cook and James Robba of Worrells appointed, after a planned private sale collapsed at a late stage. It was the brewer’s second administration in just over two years.
Tribe Breweries CEO, Heath Baker, said it had not been involved in the first two administrations, and that it was investing in the business with the expectation to create more jobs.
“This is a clean slate for Black Hops. We’re focused on growing the business while aligning our operations and cost base to support sustainable, long-term growth, improving financial discipline and investing in the brand and people. The beer industry has changed, and the business needs to change with it,” Baker said.
Black Hops general manager, Nathan Seamons, said, “It’s been a difficult period, absolutely, but the future is looking very bright. Our priority was protecting our incredible team and just making damn good beer.”
Baker said the brand would stay on the Gold Coast. Black Hops operates a brewery and taphouse at Burleigh Heads and a second brewery at Biggera Waters.
Founded in 2014, Black Hops opened its Burleigh Heads taphouse in 2016 and was named Australia’s Best Craft Brewery in 2023.
Baker said, “We recognise that recent years have affected the confidence of some long-term supporters, including many of the people who backed Black Hops during its early growth. We cannot ask for that trust back through one announcement; we know we need to earn it through what we do next.
Tribe owns Stockade Brew Co, Mornington Peninsula Brewery and Wilde Brewing Co, and contract brews for other brands at its Goulburn facility. The B Corp certified business has capacity to brew up to 30 million litres a year.
Tribe has been through its own restructure. It entered voluntary administration in February 2023 and exited three months later, with Tasmanian charitable trust the Elsie Cameron Foundation becoming its major shareholder and Baker, a former Coca-Cola Europacific Partners executive, appointed CEO.
