Growth is not only a success story. When a company grows faster than you can keep up with yourself, doubt, pressure and major decisions also follow. And when crises hit, it can be hard to stand alone with the responsibility. For Johnny Fagerlund, co-owner and founder of Small Batch ApS, the crucial turning points are not only about investments and progress in the market. They are just as much about the people around him.
The story of Small Batch began long before the first bottles hit the market.
It started as a hobby project in a basement back in the year 2000. Two beer enthusiasts brewed small batches of beer at home in their spare time while holding down jobs at Bornholms Kød og Catering. Johnny Fagerlund worked in beverage sales, while his partner Anders Blomquist was a trained butcher.
None of them imagined back then that the hobby would, many years later, develop into one of the island's most successful microbreweries. But the dream lived on.
A couple of years later, Johnny established his own beverage company, Ø-kompagniet, which supplied beer, wine, soft drinks, coffee and tea to hotels and restaurants across Bornholm. In 2015, they took the leap from hobby to entrepreneurship. They bought a small brewing system, renovated at Hallegård and began brewing commercially.
The first brew yielded 480 half-litre bottles. They put up a post on Facebook saying that the beer was now ready for sale. 15 minutes later, everything was sold out. The following weekend, the exact same thing happened.
– We thought: “Whoops … what do we do now?”, Johnny says with a laugh.
Demand grew faster than they could keep up with. Therefore, they reached out to both Svaneke Bryghus and Penyllan to borrow capacity and get help brewing the beer customers were asking for. Help arrived immediately.
– The great thing about the brewing circle on Bornholm is that people help each other. It's easy to be small and green over here because there's always someone you can call, says Johnny.
In the very first year, Small Batch sold more than 20,000 litres of beer.
When growth also becomes heavy
The success created opportunities, but also growing responsibility. Production needed to be expanded. Investments had to be made in larger facilities and more tanks. At the same time, it became harder to find space at other breweries.
Johnny and Anders therefore began to dream about their own larger setup. But the banks said no.
– Here I would just like to shine a bit of a spotlight on Bornholm’s Business Foundation. It is a fantastic setup that I don't think exists anywhere else in the country. Had we not had Bornholm’s Business Foundation, we wouldn't have as many businesses on Bornholm as we do today. The banks are almost impossible, says Johnny.
With the help of an investor, financing through Bornholms Erhvervsfond and an opportunity that arose through the EU-funded project Bornholm out into the world run by Erhvervshus Hovedstaden and Business Center Bornholm, they succeeded. The multi-million investments were initiated, the plant was ordered, and in 2019 they were ready with a significantly larger production capacity in the premises in Rønne, to which they had relocated.
Shortly after, however, new challenges began to emerge. Anders withdrew for health reasons. And in early 2020, corona hit.
For many businesses, the pandemic became a disaster. For Small Batch, paradoxically, it became a period of growth.
– We were quick to adapt and started delivering beer to homes all over the island to keep things going. And when society reopened again, there was no end to people's thirst. We were brewing flat out, but still couldn't keep up, Johnny says.
However, the pressure didn't disappear just because COVID did. At the same time, a rift arose between Johnny and the investor, and once again he found himself in a situation where the future was uncertain. That became the beginning of something new.
The great thing about the brewing circle on Bornholm is that people help each other out. It's easy to be small and green over here, because there's always someone you can call.
Crises teach you one thing
Shortly after corona came the next blow. The war in Ukraine sent commodity prices soaring, while consumption fell. Restaurants and customers held back as the economy was squeezed and the global situation uncertain. Their backs were against the wall. It was truly hard times. But it also became an important lesson.
– Crises are only bad if you sit down and become passive.
For Johnny, the period was an exercise in understanding his business better.
– You get to know sides of your business that you didn't know before. What is “nice to have”, and what is “need to have”?
Just at that moment, the board became decisive. For when you are standing in the middle of the storm, it can be hard to see the direction yourself.
– When the heart is beating harder, it's nice to bounce ideas off someone else who can help keep a clear head, he says.
Someone who pulled the oars together with him
Through sparring and guidance from Business Centre Bornholm, Johnny got in touch with Sparbo Finans, and they managed to find a solution. The financing fell into place.
But just as importantly for the brewery's future: Johnny got a board of directors. And that changed more than he had imagined.
– Suddenly there were people taking hold of the oars along with me. People from outside who could look into the business and see things I couldn't necessarily see myself.
The board consisted of people with diverse competencies. The then director Tommy Bøgh Thomsen contributed strong financial insight. Jens Olsen, former co-owner of HJB Byggeforretning ApS, brought practical business experience. Johnny himself handled operations and the daily overview. Together they created direction.
– You become enormously attached to your business. When you are on your own, it can be hard to see clearly when the pressure builds up. That was when I needed someone who both challenged me and looked after me at the same time.
For Johnny, a good board of directors is not about control. It is about trust. About people who wish the business well.
– They kept me on track. Set goals and held me accountable to them. At the same time, I constantly had the feeling that they also wished me well as a human being.
No business is too small
Today, Small Batch is entering yet another new phase. In the spring of 2026, it was announced that Svaneke Bryghus had acquired 60 per cent of the business. Plans for a brewpub are well underway, and in the autumn, production will move to new premises at the harbour in Nexø.
Johnny still owns 40 percent of the company, but is also thinking further ahead. At some point, others will have to take over the baton.
– There is more to life than work, too, he says.
Perhaps that is precisely why he speaks so warmly about boards of directors today. Not only as a tool for growth, but as something that also helps the person behind the business.
Because sometimes the most important thing is not being left alone with the responsibility. But having people around you who help carry it. Someone who keeps the fire burning. Someone who wishes you well. And someone who grabs the oars when the waves run high.
No businesses are too small to have a board of directors, if you ask Johnny. Because it is not just about the business. It is also about yourself.
AF LINA HILDING