IVYBRIDGE BREWING COMPANY
Brewing award-winning beer while creating meaningful employment opportunities for people with learning disabilities and autism.
Organisation: Social enterprise brewery
Location: Ivybridge, Devon
Founded: 2018
Investment: £25,000
Investment Date: 2025
Source of Investment: Resonance Enterprise Investment (REI)
About Ivybridge Brewing Company
Ivybridge Brewing Company is a social enterprise brewery creating meaningful employment opportunities for people with learning disabilities and autism. Alongside producing award-winning craft beer, the brewery provides a supportive workplace where people can build confidence, develop practical skills and gain experience that prepares them for future employment.
The brewery combines commercial success with social impact, demonstrating how inclusive businesses can strengthen communities while challenging perceptions of disability and neurodiversity.
Our investment
Resonance invested £25,000 through the Resonance Enterprise Investment (REI) fund to support the expansion of the brewery's operations.
The investment enabled the brewery to expand into a neighbouring building, refurbish its taproom, increase brewing and cold storage capacity, and purchase a new fermenter to meet growing demand. This expansion has created the space needed to grow the business while increasing opportunities for supported employment and skills development.
Impact
The investment has strengthened a social enterprise where 11 of the brewery's 16 employees and volunteers have a learning disability or are neurodiverse, creating meaningful opportunities for people who often face barriers to employment.
Working across brewing, bottling and customer service, participants develop practical, transferable skills while building confidence, independence and lasting friendships in a supportive environment. The expansion has also enabled the brewery to grow its supported employment programme, creating opportunities for more trainees to gain experience and progress towards future employment.
Beyond employment, Ivybridge Brewing Company is helping change perceptions of disability by creating an inclusive community space where customers experience first-hand the value of diverse workplaces. By combining social investment with a successful commercial business, the brewery is demonstrating how inclusive employment can strengthen individuals, businesses and communities alike.
“Companies, such as Ivybridge Brewing Company, are providing an award-winning product while offering work experience for people who may otherwise face barriers to employment.
“We’re delighted to help the team expand their operations to provide a valuable social enterprise in the heart of the community.” Leila Sharland, Head of Growing Enterprises at Resonance
Resonance Limited is a company registered in England and Wales no. 04418625
Resonance Impact Investment Limited, a subsidiary of Resonance Limited, is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Firm number 588462.
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