Salama Brewing
Salama Brewing is a Finnish craft brewery founded in 2019 that produces 280+ unique beers across modern styles, selling direct-to-consumer across Europe, through its Salamanation taproom and Espoo shop, and via 11 international distributors and major Finnish retailers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersEspoo, Finland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Salama Brewing does
Salama Brewing is a Finnish craft brewery founded in February 2019 by four friends and headquartered in Espoo, with additional production facilities in Kerava and a wholly-owned taproom called Salamanation in Helsinki city center. The company produces a high-velocity portfolio of more than 280 unique beers spanning modern styles such as NEIPAs, West Coast IPAs, XPAs, lagers, sours, and imperial stouts; each release is paired with proprietary label artwork and narrative developed in-house, notably by co-founder Ville Saarikoski, creating an art-driven brand identity. Underlying operations combine traditional brewing with a Shopify-based direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform that ships across more than eleven European countries, alongside a curated "Guest Drinks" line that resells partner brewery beers.
The business generates revenue through three primary streams: one-time sales of canned and bottled beers via DTC e-commerce, the Espoo brewery shop, and the Salamanation taproom; wholesale and B2B sales to bars, restaurants, and retail stores through domestic chains (Kesko, Alko, S-ryhma) and eleven country-specific international distributors covering Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, France, Portugal, Cyprus, Singapore, and Japan; and ancillary revenue from merchandise, tasting boxes (€59 for twelve beers), brewery tours (€35 per person), and gift cards (€10-€100). Unit pricing sits in the €4.50-€7.50 per 440ml can range for core SKUs, with specialty releases priced higher.
Salama serves two principal customer segments: craft beer enthusiasts who value experimental styles and the brand's creative identity, and horeca and retail partners seeking differentiated, conversation-starting beer offerings. Go-to-market is a hybrid of DTC, owned retail (brewery shop and taproom), event-driven sales (festivals, tastings, brewery tours), and channel-partner distribution. The company remains privately held and founder-led, with no disclosed institutional investment.
Salama Brewing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Salama Brewing
- Legal name
- Salama Brewing
- Website
- https://salamabrewing.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Salama Brewing is a Finnish craft brewery founded in 2019 that produces 280+ unique beers across modern styles, selling direct-to-consumer across Europe, through its Salamanation taproom and Espoo shop, and via 11 international distributors and major Finnish retailers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Salama Brewing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Beer
- NAICS
- Breweries (31212), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)
- SIC
- Malt Beverages (2082), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sake, Soju & Other Asian Alcoholic Beverages Producers & Brands (CRADAIAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service) (THAFALAB), Craft & Specialty Beverage Wholesale (Local/Artisanal) (AFAIAGAH), Alcoholic Beverage Tours & On-site Experiences (Brewery/Winery/Distillery) (THAFALAK)
Keywords
Where Salama Brewing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Espoo
- HQ country
- Finland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Salama Brewing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Beer Product Sales: Direct sales of canned and bottled craft beers to consumers via e-commerce (shipping across Europe) and brewery shop, as well as through retail and horeca partners.
- Merchandise & Experiences: Sales of branded merchandise including tasting boxes (12 beers), brewery tours (€35), and gift cards (€10+).
- Trade/B2B Sales: Wholesale distribution to bars, restaurants, and retail stores through a network of international distributors and domestic Finnish retail partners (Kesko, Alko, S-ryhma).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual beer cans/bottles |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tasting Box |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Brewery Tour |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Salama Brewing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Salama Brewing is a Finnish craft brewery that produces and sells a diverse portfolio of craft beers — primarily NEIPAs, XPAs, Lagers, Sours, and Imperial Stouts — alongside branded merchandise, tasting boxes, gift cards, and brewery tours. The company sells directly to consumers through its e-commerce shop shipping across Europe, its Espoo brewery shop, and the Salamanation bar in Helsinki, and also supplies bars, restaurants, and retailers via an international distribution network.
Product overview
Salama Brewing is a Finnish craft brewery founded in 2019 that produces a diverse portfolio of craft beers, primarily New England IPAs (NEIPAs), along with Lagers, Sours, and seasonal specialties. The company operates as a single unified brewery with multiple sales channels: direct-to-consumer online sales via their Shopify e-commerce platform, physical brewery shops in Espoo and Kerava, their own bar Salamanation in Helsinki, and distribution partnerships across Europe. Additional revenue streams include merchandise, tasting box subscriptions, gift cards, and brewery tours.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Salamanation: Taproom and bar located in Helsinki city center where customers can enjoy Salama beers and excellent beers from around the world. Also hosts tastings, tap takeovers, and private events.
Products and services
- Salama Beers The brewery's core product line of craft beers spanning NEIPAs, Double NEIPAs, XPAs, Lagers, Sours, and seasonal specialties, sold in 440ml cans and bottles through the online shop, brewery shop, and trade partners.
- Tasting Box A curated selection of 12 handpicked Salama beers (NEIPAs, West Coast IPAs, Helles/Pils, Sours, Imperial Stouts) priced at €59 plus delivery, sold direct-to-consumer across Europe.
- Salama Gift Card Gift cards available in €10, €20, €50, and €100 denominations in both printed and digital formats, redeemable at the brewery shop.
- Brewery Tour A guided brewery tour lasting 1–1.5 hours, including tasting of six beers with exclusive unreleased samples, priced at €35 per person.
- Salama Merchandise Branded apparel and accessories featuring the Salama Brewing artwork and identity, sold online and at the brewery shop.
- Guest Drinks A curated selection of beers sourced from partner breweries around the world, featured in the online shop and at Salamanation alongside Salama's own beers.
- Salamanation Bar The company's owned bar in Helsinki city center serving Salama beers on tap alongside international guest beers, hosting tastings, tap takeovers, and private events.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 280 unique beers brewed since 2019
Companies that use Salama Brewing
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Salama Brewing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Salama Brewing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Brill & CocoreSwedish distribution partner for Salama beers in Sweden.
- Einer DrinkscoreNorwegian distribution partner handling Salama beer distribution in Norway.
- Craft Beer AgencycoreDanish distribution partner for Salama beers in Denmark.
- My Dear BeercoreDutch distribution partner handling Salama beer distribution in the Netherlands.
- Oskari LampisjärvicoreGerman distribution partner for Salama beers in Germany.
- Wittich Weine und Biere AGcoreSwiss distribution partner handling Salama beer distribution in Switzerland.
- BrewfellasminorCyprus distribution partner for Salama beers.
- One PintminorPortuguese distribution partner handling Salama beer distribution in Portugal.
- Wet GoodsminorSingapore distribution partner for Salama beers.
- Ezo BeerminorJapanese distribution partner handling Salama beer distribution in Japan.
- DBI (Distributeur des Brasseurs Indépendants)coreFrench distribution partner for Salama beers in France.
- KeskocoreMajor Finnish retail chain partner distributing Salama beers in Finland.
- AlkocoreFinnish state-owned alcohol retail chain distributing Salama beers.
- S-ryhmacoreFinnish retail cooperative (S Group) carrying Salama beers in their stores.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights2 records
Salama Brewing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- BrewDog: Larger, publicly-traded-adjacent Scottish craft incumbent with broad European distribution, owned bars, and a much wider product range — overlapping with Salama on international craft positioning but at far greater scale.
Direct peers
- Pressure Drop Brewing: London-based independent craft brewery known for experimental hop-forward beers with strong European wholesale — comparable on size, experimental portfolio, and B2B/wholesale-led growth.
- Bryggeri Helsinki: Finnish craft brewery based in Helsinki operating its own brewpub and producing modern craft styles — competes head-to-head with Salama in the domestic Finnish craft market.
- Lervig Aktiebryggeri: Norwegian craft brewery with a strong export footprint across Europe and North America and a hop-forward portfolio — a direct comp on Nordic origin, scale, and international wholesale presence.
- Stallhagen: One of Finland's better-known microbreweries (Åland-based) with broad domestic distribution including Alko — directly comparable on Finnish craft brewery positioning and retail channel access.
- Mikkeller: Danish gypsy/craft brewery famous for experimental recipes, art-driven label design, and a globally distributed rotating beer catalogue — closely mirrors Salama's high-SKU, art-forward, internationally distributed model.
- Omnipollo: Swedish craft brewery with an art-first identity (frequent artist collaborations on labels), NEIPA-forward portfolio, and strong international craft presence — directly comparable on creative-brand positioning and modern IPA focus.
- Põhjala Brewery: Estonian craft brewery of comparable size to Salama, known for bold experimental styles (NEIPAs, imperial stouts, porters), international awards, and broad export across Europe — a near-perfect comp on stage, geography, and product philosophy.
- To Øl: Danish craft brewery focused on experimental, boundary-pushing styles with international distribution and a gypsy-brewing origin — a comparable model for SKU velocity and stylistic experimentation.
Regional players
- Brewfellas: Cyprus-based craft beer importer and bar operator — Salama's distribution partner in Cyprus and a regional craft scene reference point in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Salama Brewing social profiles
Digital presenceSalama Brewing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Salama Brewing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Salama Brewing subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Salama Brewing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Salama Brewing M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Salama Brewing
What does Salama Brewing do?
Salama Brewing is a Finnish craft brewery that produces and sells a diverse portfolio of craft beers — primarily NEIPAs, XPAs, Lagers, Sours, and Imperial Stouts — alongside branded merchandise, tasting boxes, gift cards, and brewery tours. The company sells directly to consumers through its e-commerce shop shipping across Europe, its Espoo brewery shop, and the Salamanation bar in Helsinki, and also supplies bars, restaurants, and retailers via an international distribution network.
Is Salama Brewing a public or private company?
Salama Brewing is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Salama Brewing founded?
Salama Brewing was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Salama Brewing based?
Salama Brewing is headquartered in Espoo, Finland, in the Europe region.
How does Salama Brewing make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Beer Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are merchandise & Experiences and trade/B2B Sales.
Who are Salama Brewing's main competitors?
BrewDog is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Pressure Drop Brewing, Bryggeri Helsinki, Lervig Aktiebryggeri, Stallhagen, Mikkeller, Omnipollo, Põhjala Brewery and To Øl. Brewfellas is listed as a regional player.
Does Salama Brewing have an API?
No public API is recorded for Salama Brewing.
What industry is Salama Brewing in?
Salama Brewing's product category is Craft Beer. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAIAF, Sake, Soju & Other Asian Alcoholic Beverages Producers & Brands, with a secondary code of THAFALAB, Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service). Its NAICS code is 31212 and its SIC code is 2082.