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Brewing Success with Kriya's Flexible Finance Solutions
Goal
Scaling operations
Region
Northern England
Industry
Beverage
The Challenge
Maintaining healthy liquidity even when dealing with large supermarkets and retailers such as WM Morrison, Asda, and John Lewis.
The Solution
Kriya’s Invoice Finance product allows Northern Monk to sign large deals with key buyers on extended terms, and draw down finance against large wholesale orders to accelerate working capital in the context of input cost pressures and rising alcohol taxes.
Northern Monk, a vibrant craft brewery based in the North of England, was born out of a passion for reimagining the British beer scene.
Founded in 2008 by Russell Bisset, the vision for Northern Monk took shape after early entrepreneurial trials and the support of family funding.
The brewery’s journey began humbly in a parent’s cellar in Bradford, before finding a permanent home in 2014 in a Grade II listed mill—the Old Flax Store in Leeds. With breakthrough products like the hazy New England-style IPA, Faith (launched in 2015), and international accolades earned with Eternal at the World Beer Cup in 2016, Northern Monk has grown its reputation for quality, innovation, and a distinctly Northern ethos.
Today, the brewery not only serves traditional beer enthusiasts but is also diversifying into direct-to-consumer experiences through its own bars and events.
In 2019 Northern Monk sold a significant stake of the business to private equity firm Active Partners and completed a crowdfunding campaign in 2024.
Powering Growth with Kriya:
As Northern Monk scales its operations towards revenues close to £20m this year and profitability, effective working capital management is critical. Over the past three years, CFO Chris Harrison has overseen the integration of Kriya’s flexible finance solutions to drive this growth. Key highlights of the partnership include:
Signing up contracts with large buyers:
Kriya’s credit products have been instrumental in managing large wholesale buyers, ensuring that Northern Monk maintains healthy liquidity even when dealing with large supermarkets and retailers such as WM Morrison, Asda, and John Lewis. This financial agility is crucial as the brewery navigates challenges such as rising alcohol taxes and input cost pressures influenced by global events.
Support for Diversification & Expansion:
Beyond traditional wholesale buyers, Kriya’s innovative financing options are paving the way for Northern Monk’s expansion into higher-margin operations. With plans to open Northern Monk bars in the North and in London, the brewery is also set to add more direct to SME sales through their website.
Conclusion
Northern Monk’s journey from a small Bradford cellar to an internationally recognised craft brewery is a testament to innovation and resilience. Through its strategic partnership with Kriya, the company has secured the working capital flexibility needed to fuel expansion, drive operational efficiency, and navigate an increasingly competitive market.
To learn about Kriya's solutions, and gain insights into how we can help your business or buyers, book a call here.
“Kriya has been a great help to Northern Monk as we’ve scaled operations and started to sell across several different sales channels. It can be tricky to have an ambitious growth plan and manage cash flow with large end supermarket clients, but having Kriya on your side means you can keep business flowing and take on more contracts with confidence.”
