Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael has hailed the power of small businesses after a visit to a Moray “success story”.
Mr Carmichael visited Windswept Brewery yesterday following a meeting at last year’s Royal Highland Show.
Established in October 2012 by two former RAF pilots, the Lossiemouth-based company has received national industry recognition, grown sales across the UK and started exporting to beer-loving countries such as Belgium and Germany.
The success comes after the number of breweries in the UK almost doubled from 739 in 2010 to 1,403 in 2013 with supermarkets stocking an ever-increasing variety of Scottish brands.
In 2013, UK breweries exported 1.1 billion pints to 113 countries, generating £630million for the economy.
Speaking at the brewery, Mr Carmichael said: “I think Windswept is a great example of a small business starting up and growing, and I expect them to go from strength to strength.
“The temptation is for governments and politicians to talk about how we create jobs. The truth of the matter is we don’t create jobs. It’s people who are prepared to take the risk to set up, or put the house on the line, to set up businesses for themselves — that’s what creates jobs.”
Windswept managing director Nigel Tiddy said: “We were delighted to welcome the Secretary of State to Lossiemouth. This was a valuable opportunity for us to share our concerns and successes with the minister.
“Having set out to bring employment opportunities to Lossiemouth, we are very proud of how the brewery has grown in just over two years of trading, now employing six people.
“With ambitious plans for expansion through 2015, we hope to see those numbers double in the next 12 months.”