Hawkes Cider founder and CEO steps down

Simon Wright, the chief executive and founder of craft cider maker Hawkes, will resign from his role at the end of the month.

Scottish beer giant Brewdog bought a majority stake in the cidery in April 2018 to help the company expand internationally. Having launched production in the USA last year, the brand’s products are available in all markets Brewdog operates in.

Wright, who founded the company from his kitchen table in 2013, said: “There was always going to be a time when we felt that the baton needed to be fully passed over to BrewDog, and that moment is now.

“I would like to think I was committed totally to pushing the company and the craft cider category forward, I look forward to continuing to help cider in anyway I can in the future – I owe it, and the friends I’ve made on the way, everything.”

“Working with the whole BrewDog team alongside James and Martin has been a real pleasure. I’m leaving the business in great shape with an exciting range of innovation, a real focus on liquid quality and increased production capacity in London. I have no doubt BrewDog will go on to make Hawkes, and the cider category, even more awesome in the future.”