Семейная пивоварня в Йоркшире удвоила объемы производства после внедрения цифровых технологий

A family-run brewery in North Yorkshire has more than doubled in size after embracing digital technology. Harrogate Brewing Company invested in a major digital transformation with support from the Made Smarter Yorkshire programme. Joe Joyce, founder of the Harrogate-based brewery, said: "In our industry, rigorous cost control and the ability to identify profitable opportunities are vital. "The work we’ve done with Made Smarter’s support has given us both. RECOMMENDED READING: - Made Smarter Yorkshire to help firms on cyber security - Made Smarter Yorkshire helps two York manufacturers - How Made Smarter scheme is helping women in North Yorkshire - Made Smarter scheme extended in York and North Yorkshire "It hasn’t just improved the brewery today, it’s given us the confidence to keep investing in the future." The business, founded in 2013 and acquired by Mr Joyce and his wife Julie in 2020, faced a major setback just weeks later when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. With pub customers disappearing overnight, the family quickly adapted by launching online sales, home deliveries, and a taproom. As the hospitality sector recovered, the brewery expanded rapidly. It began supplying high-profile venues such as Castle Howard and Harewood House, launched the Happy Town craft beer brand, and developed gluten-free and low-alcohol options. However, this growth exposed the limitations of their manual, traditional processes. The team turned to the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub for support, which led to a comprehensive operational review. This identified opportunities to improve production, strengthen commercial management, and introduce digital technologies. Through the Made Smarter programme, the brewery developed a Digital Roadmap to guide its transformation. This resulted in a £7,500 grant towards a £17,000 investment in the Breww brewery management system, Plaato’s real-time production monitoring technology, and staff training. The new systems improved every area of operation, from production planning and stock management to quality assurance and batch traceability. Real-time monitoring enabled remote fermentation monitoring, reducing manual sampling and product losses. Mr Joyce said: "The software gave us a structure. "It was a constraint at first because it made us work in a much more disciplined way, but that’s exactly what we needed. "Once we had structure, we had information, and once we had information, we could make better decisions." The impact was immediate and significant. Turnover increased by more than 50 per cent in the first year, production yields improved by five per cent, brew times dropped by 12 per cent, and daily energy consumption fell by three per cent. The digital upgrade also improved market access. With stronger systems and improved confidence, the business opened its own pub in Harrogate and a second venue in Knaresborough. These outlets offered new routes to market and increased brand visibility. The brewery has more than doubled in size since the project began, earning awards such as the FSB Yorkshire & Humber Family Business of the Year.