Craft brewer Yeastie Boys seeks crowdfunding push for UK expansion

Yeastie Boys creative director Stu McKinlay. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Craft brewers Yeastie Boys are hoping to raise around half a million dollars through equity crowdfunding platform PledgeMe to help with expansion into Britain.

The Wellington-based brewing company was founded by beer enthusiasts Stu McKinlay and Sam Possenniskie in 2008. McKinlay said they were looking for like minded enthusiasts to help with company growth.

"We're looking for people who want to high-five and hug at AGM's rather than people who want little more than for us to make them more paper," McKinlay said.

"Equity crowdfunding is a step back to the traditional ways that businesses started - friends, family and a whole lot of passionate people who actually want to make the world a better place while they drink great beer and make a few dollars."

The company currently has markets in New Zealand, Australia, New Caledonia, USA, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, Japan and the UK, and are looking to expand further into the UK next year.

PledgeMe chief executive Anna Guenther said she was looking forward to seeing how the capital raising went, adding that it was a great opportunity for fans of the company to get involved.

"Yeastie Boys has a great brand with a unique style in both beer and marketing," Guenther said.

"Yeastie Boys has a large and loyal crowd who have been pestering Stu and Sam for a long time to let them invest. They are a much loved company in the craft beer community and they inspire fierce brand loyalty."

The company is going out to its crowd for investment on January 28.