When craft beer pioneer BrewDog announced its expansion into sauces and seasonings, the industry reaction was predictably mixed. For a brand built on disruption and category-defying moves, launching BrewDog Kitchen might seem like a natural evolution. But does this latest venture represent strategic growth, or a dilution of what made BrewDog special?
The range, which hit Tesco shelves on 7 April, boasts impressive initial distribution. Developed in partnership with All About Food – the team behind retail versions of Nando’s, Wagamama, and Pret products – BrewDog has secured a remarkable 35 facings in some stores.
That’s significantly outpacing established players like Dr Will’s (six facings) and approaching Nando’s territory (24 facings). This level of retail commitment suggests significant confidence in the brand’s pulling power beyond its beer origins.
Can BrewDog stand out in sauces?
The sauce category is already crowded with plenty of creativity and innovation. From craft-focused newcomers like Sauce Shop and its Truffalo Hot Sauce, to legacy brands like Heinz experimenting with limited editions and social media-driven releases, standing out requires more than just loud branding. It demands clarity and category-growing innovation.
In this busy environment, simply being recognisable isn’t enough.
BrewDog’s approach to sauces leans heavily on recognition of its beer brand, with names like Punk IPA, Hazy Jane, and Wingman. However, the connection between these beers and their sauce counterparts feels tenuous at best. The Buffalo Hot Sauce, branded as Wingman, is a vinegar-forward chilli sauce – not a floral IPA.
Unlike Guinness or Jack Daniel’s, which bring their distinctive flavour profiles to their products, BrewDog’s extension feels more like a logo application than a thoughtful translation of its beer expertise into culinary offerings. More opportunistic than ‘punk’.
The merchandising strategy raises questions, too. In some Tesco locations, BrewDog sauces appear in world foods aisles, separated from competing sauce brands – creating a disconnect for shoppers looking for barbecue sauces in their usual places and a practical barrier to trial.
Punk or predictable?
For me, this launch illustrates the broader evolution of the BrewDog brand. A company that built its reputation challenging conventions and mocking big (beer) brands has gradually expanded into increasingly mainstream territory – hotels, spirits, retail gift packs, and now condiments.
The rebel has become the establishment.
These new products seem reasonable – versatile rubs and sauces, and a reasonable price point from a well-recognised brand. I’m sure they’ll bring some people to the category. But they lack a clear innovation angle in a market already brimming with flavour experimentation.
If success is measured by the number of facings in Tesco and launch buzz, BrewDog Kitchen is already winning. But creating a meaningful presence in a competitive category requires more than leveraging a logo.
For retailers, the fundamental question will be whether these products add value to their category – whether they deliver something genuinely new and valuable or simply offer another branded option in an already saturated market. Without a clear reason for being, beyond leveraging the BrewDog name, maintaining those impressive facings could prove challenging once the initial novelty fades.
And Tesco isn’t renowned for being patient when rate of sale isn’t where it wants it to be.
For a brand that once defined itself by challenging the status quo, BrewDog’s sauce range feels surprisingly conventional – and for me, demonstrates that the rebel brewer has settled comfortably into the establishment it once railed against.
Gareth Turner is the director at Big Black Door
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