Buying beer from the Ex Novo Brewing Company means that you get to enjoy a drink and do some good in the world. Despite Portland being saturated with breweries and having no background in brewing beer, Joel Gregory went up against all odds in a new venture after being laid off from his job in engineering. To make this not-for-profit brewery a reality, Ian Greene was hired as head brewer, lending his expertise to the Ex Novo Brewing Company.
100% of the net profits go towards initiatives like Impact NW, the International Justice Mission, MercyCorps and Friends of the Children. The registered non-profit public benefit corporation currently has eight beers available on tap, meaning that there's something to quench everyone's thirst for good.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Not-for-profit Breweries
- Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Explore the potential of establishing not-for-profit breweries to combine business operations with social impact.
- Community-driven Business Models
- Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Develop community-driven business models that prioritize social and environmental initiatives.
- Beer for Good
- Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Create beer brands that donate 100% of net profits to charitable organizations and social causes.
Where This Applies
- Craft Beer Industry
- Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Incorporate social responsibility initiatives into the craft beer industry to attract socially conscious consumers.
- Non-profit Sector
- Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Explore collaborations and partnerships between non-profit organizations and breweries to create sustainable social impact.
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Foster social entrepreneurship by combining business ventures with philanthropic efforts in sectors like brewing.
