Join Burleigh Brewing co-founder Peta Fielding as she reveals the resilience, strategic decisions, and community focus required to build a thriving independent brewery in the shadow of multinational giants. Discover the behind-the-scenes journey of transforming a bankrupt business into a beloved Australian craft beer icon over the last 20 years.
What does it take to build a thriving independent brewery in the shadow of multinational giants?
In this episode, Peta Fielding, co-founder of Burleigh Brewing, takes us behind the scenes of her nearly 20-year journey crafting one of Australia's most beloved indie beer brands.
From buying a brewery out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy to mastering long-term strategy and fostering deep brand loyalty, Peta shares the highs, lows, and crucial decisions that fueled their growth.
Whether you're a craft beer enthusiast or an aspiring entrepreneur, this episode is packed with practical insights on passion, resilience, and scaling up while staying true to your community values.
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Episode Summary: In this episode of the Owner to Owner Podcast, Michael Kerr sits down with Peta Fielding, co-founder of Burleigh Brewing.
As Burleigh Brewing approaches its 20th anniversary, Peta shares her incredible journey from practicing corporate law in Melbourne to buying a bankrupt brewery in Hawaii, and ultimately returning to the Gold Coast to pioneer Queensland’s independent craft beer scene.
They discuss the realities of scaling a manufacturing business, competing against global behemoths, the importance of community, and the ongoing battle for true independence in the Australian beer market.
Michael Kerr: Peta Fielding joins me today, co-founder of Burleigh Brewing. Burleigh is about to turn 20—congratulations on that! I read in a recent LinkedIn post that one of your early KPIs was hunting around in bins for empty Burleigh beer bottles. I contrasted that with a stated public KPI: you want to see your beer served in Queensland Stadium. That is a real scaling of KPIs! But I suspect both are equally important in trying to build an independent Australian business in a market dominated by global behemoths.
A big welcome. You came back from Hawaii and chose to build an independent brewery in Burleigh Heads. What was your driver, and has the battle to build an independent business changed over these 20 years?
Peta Fielding: To answer the last question first, it's probably "same same but different." To get into the beginnings of that move back, I'll go back a step further. I initially studied law because I always wanted to start a business, but I didn't know what it would be. I figured law couldn't hurt. I practiced for a few years in Melbourne, but I couldn't suppress the entrepreneurial bug. The next step was going off to do an MBA, and I had the opportunity to do it in Hawaii.
While there, I met Brennan. Just as I was passionate about building a business, he was passionate about brewing. We fell in love, which made business discussions much easier, and we knew we wanted to build something cool in brewing together.
The opportunity arose in Hawaii when the brewery Brennan was working for went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy. We managed to put together a small group of people, bought it out of bankruptcy, and ran it for a couple of years. We learned a lot about running a business together, but we knew we wanted to come home to Queensland to build something there.
Michael Kerr: How did you come to that decision when Brennan was from Hawaii?
Peta Fielding: We came back to Australia a lot during that time, and Burleigh was about the only place you could truly look to move someone from Hawaii. He stood in the middle of Burleigh Beach, looked out at the surf, took a big breath, and said, "I could live here." Hawaii and Queensland are much more alike than Hawaii and the US mainland.
During our visits back to Queensland, we noticed there was nothing happening in independent beer. Every pub and bottle shop had the same beer. Wine was having a real moment in Australia, but there was no choice in beer. We genuinely felt like we had to come home and give Queensland a choice. After running the brewery in Hawaii for two years, the dollar was at 50 cents, we sold our share, doubled our nest egg, and came home in 2006 to start planning Burleigh Brewing.
Michael Kerr: Was this a rebellion against the traditional MBA pathway of going into corporate?
Peta Fielding: I had a fabulous upbringing. My parents held us to high standards but always encouraged an entrepreneurial spirit—particularly my dad. There was no expectation for me to stay in a stable corporate career. I loved studying and practicing law, but I just knew it wasn't my forever thing. I was working in the Stock Exchange building in Melbourne, and one morning I walked into the revolving doors and just walked straight back out. I realized I couldn't do it every day for the rest of my career. I really wanted to create something.
Michael Kerr: Can you give a quick overview of Burleigh Brewing today and what it takes to compete with giant multinationals?
Peta Fielding: When we first came back, we put together a business plan for a venue-based brewery similar to what we had in Hawaii. But we quickly realized that at that scale, we wouldn't make a real impact on the beer market. So, we upsized our business plan to a genuine production brewery.
We started in a 600-square-meter industrial building in Burleigh. We had our funding, shared our business plan with a small group of external shareholders who have been with us the whole time, and took it to the bank—who amazingly supported us. From that minute forward, it was go, go, go.
Michael Kerr: And your business model today? What is your capacity and footprint?
Peta Fielding: The model has evolved over 20 years. About nine years in, we outgrew our original space. We had expanded across 11 different industrial units, knocking holes in walls to connect them—it wasn't efficient. In 2015, we found a 2,000-square-meter standalone building just 200 meters down the road. We completely gutted it and laid out the brewery in a highly efficient, production-friendly way.
Today, it serves as our main production facility for all brewing and packaging. Our offices are there, and we have a venue attached that operates Friday through Sunday. We designed the building to allow for capacity expansion in place. Every time we add a tank, we peel the roof off and a crane drops it in from above.
Michael Kerr: How important is the hospitality and retail side of the business compared to canning and wholesale?
Peta Fielding: While it’s not the largest part in terms of revenue, it’s a huge part of the business for brand awareness and trial. It gives consumers a chance to get to know the brand, tour the brewery, and understand what's different about what we do. It’s also a great place to bring bottle shop managers and venue owners.
Historically, beer has thousands of years of heritage. In places like Germany, the brewery is the heart of the town. When we started on the Gold Coast in 2006, the city didn't have a brewery or a major football team. Our venue is a place for the community to come together—we host events, film premieres, and local footy club gatherings. It's a space for people to connect.
Michael Kerr: Reflecting on the last 20 years, what was the biggest decision you made that set you up for success?
Peta Fielding: It’s probably the sum of all the small decisions, underpinned by one core philosophy: we always built for the long term. We wanted to build a business that provided genuine career growth opportunities for people on the Gold Coast. 20 years ago, people felt they had to leave the area to build a proper career. I wanted to offer real career roles locally. Building a strong business for our city and our team—not just building for a quick exit—has informed every decision we make.
Michael Kerr: How has your specific role changed over the years?
Peta Fielding: I had this silly idea early on that I'd write the business plan, secure the funding, set it all up, and then step back into a part-time role while Brennan brewed. But I just enjoyed it too much and got swept up in it. There has been nothing part-time about my role!
As the business grew, my role naturally evolved. Every year I was running a business bigger than I had ever run before. Around 2015, we started adding a senior leadership team. My role shifted from managing the "doers" to engaging at a strategic level. It gets really fun when you can employ specialists who know more than you do in their specific areas.
Michael Kerr: Have you had approaches from bigger companies looking to acquire Burleigh, testing your commitment to independence?
Peta Fielding: There have certainly been loose approaches and conversations over the years, but we haven't invited serious table discussions. To sell or transition a business, it has to be the exact right time for everyone involved. Emotionally and mentally, we haven't been ready to engage in that. Twenty years in, you do realize you can't do this forever, but right now, we are entirely focused on making sure it remains a great business that cares about the product, the people, and the community.
Michael Kerr: The independent brewing sector has had a rough few years. How do you view the competition now compared to when you started?
Peta Fielding: The market structure in Australia is unique and heavily dominated by a few massive players. When we started, there were maybe 30 production breweries in the country; at its recent peak, there were around 800. People assume it’s harder now because of the competition, but when we started, it was super hard because consumers didn't trust beer that didn't come from a massive global brewer. We were fighting against ingrained brand perceptions.
Today, the structural model of the market—where supply and retail are dominated by giant corporations—means that a very small number of people in boardrooms dictate what products go where, and ultimately, what choices consumers have.
Michael Kerr: If you were plucked out of Burleigh and sent to Canberra to head up the Small Business Department, what would be your top priority on Monday morning?
Peta Fielding: The big one is addressing market structure. We need to make sure it is genuinely possible for independent businesses to not just start, but to actually scale in Australia. Right now, industries are dominated by duopolies and oligopolies. The Australian spirit says anyone can have a go, and you can get to a certain point—but scaling beyond that, without becoming a global monopoly yourself, is incredibly difficult under current regulations and market structures.
Michael Kerr: Power to Burleigh Brewing, and to you and Brennan for carrying on. It’s wonderful to hear this story, and I appreciate you taking the time to share it with us.
Peta Fielding: Thank you so much. Do come in for a beer when the bar is open!