Garage Project buys bStudio

Garage Project is buying Hawke’s Bay contract brewery bStudio in a deal that sees the Wellington brewery take ownership of a company that has played a key role in its success.

Established in 2017, bStudio was created to bring high-quality, large-scale contract brewing capability to New Zealand’s independent beer industry. The award-winning contract brewing and beverage manufacturing facility is based in the National Tobacco Company Building in Ahuriri, Napier.

Garage Project was bStudio’s foundation brewing customer and has remained a major customer ever since. bStudio still brews a significant part of Garage Project’s beer and is the production home of its TINY non-alcoholic range.

Terms of the sale are confidential and under the acquisition the brewery assets will transfer to Brewwell Napier Ltd, with the business continuing to trade as bStudio.

Garage Project co-founder Jos Ruffell said the opportunity to take ownership felt like a remarkable full-circle moment. “Simon Gilbertson and Rob Godwin took a big swing when they built bStudio. We were lucky enough to be there from the beginning, and over the years we’ve watched the brewery grow and become an increasingly important part of Garage Project.

Ian Gillespie, Pete Gillespie and Jos Ruffell of Garage Project

“We know what a great brewery it is, we know the team, and we know what it’s capable of. So when Simon decided the time was right to hand bStudio on, it felt pretty natural for us to pick up the torch.”

Gilbertson said he was proud of what bStudio and its team had built and confident Garage Project was the right owner for its next chapter. “It was important to me that the brewery continued with new owners who understand what it is and what it can be. Garage Project knows bStudio as well as anyone, and I’m excited to see where they take it from here.”

Garage Project says its immediate priority is continuity. bStudio will continue operating under its existing name, with the new owners focused on supporting the brewery’s team and customers through the busy summer production period. 

Longer term, Garage Project says it plans to progressively invest in and improve the brewery as opportunities emerge.