In a recent update to shareholders, the Scottish brewer revealed that sales growth was less than 1% to £357m, a significant slowdown for a brand known for its meteoric rise. While pre-tax losses narrowed from £59m the previous year to £36.6m, the company remained £34.5m in the red after tax.

To support its finances, BrewDog’s largest shareholder, TSG Consumer Partners, has agreed to lend the company a further £20m. This new loan adds to high-interest borrowing from 2022 and 2023, which has pushed the brewer’s annual interest payments up to £17.3m.

Despite the figures, BrewDog’s new chief executive, James Taylor, focused on an “adjusted” profit figure of £7.5m, stating the company had “returned to profitability for the first time in several years”. He also highlighted that the company had achieved its “highest ever share of the UK beer market”.

The financial update follows a series of operational setbacks. In recent months, BrewDog has been dropped from 2,000 pubs and has closed 10 of its own bars across the UK, citing difficult trading conditions. The departures of outspoken founder James Watt in May and his co-founder Martin Dickie last month mark the end of an era for the self-styled “punk” brand, which has previously faced criticism over its workplace culture.