Aberdeenshire-based craft brewer BrewDog has divested its flagship Kinrara Estate, considered a key part of its sustainability ambitions, to the English natural capital asset manager Oxygen Conservation. The nearly 10,000-acre property, located within the scenic Cairngorms National Park, was acquired for an undisclosed sum, marking a pivotal shift in BrewDog’s environmental strategy.
The sale comes as BrewDog continues to grapple with mounting losses, having reported a fifth consecutive year in the red, and follows a turbulent period for its ambitious “Lost Forest” rewilding project. The estate made headlines after over 250,000 newly planted trees failed to thrive, causing concern for both ecological goals and BrewDog’s sustainability credentials.
Oxygen Conservation, led by its Exeter-based team, aims to rewild and restore the estate while generating long-term value through natural capital and carbon credit initiatives. This acquisition expands Oxygen Conservation’s UK portfolio to over 50,000 acres under management, signalling its commitment to large-scale environmental restoration.
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BrewDog had envisioned Kinrara as a marquee sustainability investment, leveraging tree planting and peatland restoration grants.
However, public funding schemes and operational setbacks hindered progress, casting doubt on the viability of its carbon offset plans. The disposal underscores broader questions about how large corporate landowners engage with conservation and local stewardship within national parks.
As BrewDog reassesses its environmental efforts amidst financial strains, the Kinrara Estate’s future is expected to be shaped by Oxygen Conservation’s focus on biodiversity, nature recovery, and the creation of value through regenerative stewardship.
