What Svalbard Bryggeri does

Svalbard Bryggeri is a privately held craft brewery operating from Longyearbyen, Svalbard, at approximately 78°N, marketed as the world's northernmost commercial brewery. The company was founded in 2015 (with the underlying vision originating in 2009) by Robert Johansen, who serves as Executive Director. It operates two legal entities: Svalbard Brewery Import & Export GmbH in Hamburg, Germany (international commerce and online sales), and Svalbard Bryggeri AS in Norway (local production and on-site operations).

The company's product portfolio centers on the Spitsbergen Core Range, which includes ten beer styles — Pilsner, Weissbier, Blonde, IPA, NÅ-IPA, Pale Ale, Stout, Bock, Dark Season, and White IPA — brewed with glacial water sourced from Svalbard. A premium Gruve 3 Miners Series features bourbon barrel-aged beers (Røde Robert and Stiger) aged in oak barrels stored in the former Gruve 3 coal mine, honoring Longyearbyen's mining heritage. Since 2019, the brewery has also served as the main supplier of sparkling water on Svalbard and as a critical backup water source for Longyearbyen through advanced filtration systems. A 2025 collaboration with Mikkeller produced a Svalbard Helles lager. On-site brewery tours and beer tastings operate at the Longyearbyen location.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid D2C and wholesale model: a Shopify-based webshop delivers directly to Germany and Czech Republic, a dedicated B2B wholesale portal serves German bar, restaurant, and retail accounts, third-party distributors Vinmonopolet (Norway) and Viking Beer (Netherlands) carry products internationally, and on-site tastings, tours, and private events provide a tourism-driven revenue stream. Subscription contracts, configurable Build-a-Box packs (12/24/48 cans), and the Sparkling Water supply contract round out the revenue mechanics. Pricing is per-can (€2.90–€6.25) and per-pack, with free shipping over €70. The company is small (1-10 employees), self-funded, and has earned notable media coverage and the Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Award 2024.

Name

Svalbard Bryggeri

Legal name

Svalbard Brewery Import & Export GmbH

Website

https://svalbardbryggeri.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Svalbard Bryggeri is a privately held craft brewery operating the world's northernmost commercial brewery in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, producing glacier-water craft beers across ten core styles plus a bourbon barrel-aged Gruve 3 series, and selling via D2C webshop (Germany, Czech Republic), German wholesale, and distributors in Norway and the Netherlands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Beer Brewing

NAICS

Breweries (312120), Bottled Water Manufacturing (312112), Beverage Manufacturing (3121)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Beverages (2080), Bottled & Canned Soft Drinks & Carbonated Waters (2086)

akta.pro primary industry

Beer Brewing & Brands (CRADAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Packaging & Production Breweries (Limited/No On-site Service) (THAFALAB), Beer, Brewery & Craft Beverage Tastings (THAJAGAE)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Barrel-aged beer
• Arctic brewery
• Sparkling water supply
• Brewery tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: Online sales of beer products through company webshop to consumers in Germany and Czech Republic. Products sold in various pack sizes (12, 24, 48 cans) and individual varieties.
2. Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale inquiries handled through dedicated B2B portal for Germany. Products distributed through third-party partners in Norway (Vinmonopolet) and Netherlands (Viking Beer).
3. Subscription Services: Subscription contracts offered as indefinite agreements with one month notice for termination. May include regular delivery of products.
4. Sparkling Water Supply: Since 2019, main supplier of sparkling water on Svalbard. Serves as critical backup water source for Longyearbyen community.
5. Brewery Experiences: Beer tastings and brewery tours offered at the Longyearbyen location. Tastings include 5 unique beers with history and brewing process education. Private events for larger groups available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Svalbard Bryggeri operates the world's northernmost brewery in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, producing craft beer brewed with glacier water from a 2,000-year-old Svalbard glacier. The company sells its Spitsbergen Core Range and Gruve 3 barrel-aged beers directly to consumers in Germany and the Czech Republic through its own webshop, supplies German wholesale partners via a B2B portal, and distributes through Vinmonopolet in Norway and Viking Beer in the Netherlands. It also offers brewery tours, beer tastings, and private events at the Longyearbyen location, and since 2019 has been the main supplier of sparkling water on Svalbard.

Product overview

Svalbard Bryggeri is the world's northernmost brewery located in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, founded in 2015. The company offers craft beers under two main product lines: the SPITSBERGEN core range featuring 10 beer styles including Pilsner, Weissbier, Blonde, IPA, NÅ-IPA, Pale Ale, Stout, Bock, Dark Season, and White IPA; and the premium GRUVE 3 Miners Series of barrel-aged beers (Røde Robert and Stiger) honoring Longyearbyen's mining heritage. The company also offers customizable Build-a-Box mixed packs (12, 24, and 48 cans), a collaboration with Mikkeller (Svalbard Helles), and since 2019 has supplied sparkling water to Svalbard. Products are brewed using glacial water and distributed exclusively through the webshop and select partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Spitsbergen Core Range: Signature beers and seasonal specialties crafted with pure glacier water from Svalbard, including Pilsner, Blonde, IPA, Weissbier, Pale Ale, Bock, Stout, Dark Season, White IPA, and NÅ-IPA.
• Gruve 3 Miners Series
• Svalbard Water

Products and services

• Spitsbergen Pilsner A light, bottom-fermented Czech-inspired Pilsner first brewed in Plzeň in 1842. Crisp and refreshing with citrus notes and a cracker-like aftertaste. Alcohol: 4.7%. Sold to consumers and wholesale partners.
• Spitsbergen Weissbier A bright, top-fermented wheat beer inspired by southern German tradition, brewed with 50% wheat malt. Features notes of banana, citrus, and spice. Alcohol: 5.5%. 16% of water sourced from a 2,000-year-old glacier.
• Spitsbergen Blonde A light, fruity Belgian-style Blonde Ale inspired by the return of the sun after Svalbard's dark winter. Brewed with wheat malt and Centennial hops. Alcohol: 6%.
• Spitsbergen IPA A bold, top-fermented India Pale Ale inspired by 1703 IPAs for voyages to India. Strong, hoppy with tropical fruit and grapefruit notes.
• Spitsbergen NÅ-IPA A smooth New England-style IPA brewed near Ny-Ålesund, a former mining town turned research station. Low bitterness, full aroma from dry hopping with tropical fruit and citrus notes.
• Spitsbergen Pale Ale A light, fruity English-style Pale Ale combining caramelized malts with American hops for citrus and tropical fruit flavor. Alcohol: 4.7%.
• Spitsbergen Stout A dark beer crafted with roasted barley malt. Rich, dark character with thick, coffee-like flavors of chocolate and roasted nuts. Alcohol: 7%. Origin: Ireland.
• Spitsbergen Bock A classic German-style Bock beer brewed with German hops. Sweet, dark profile with subtle bitterness. Popular festive Christmas beer. Alcohol: 10%.
• Spitsbergen Dark Season A Brown Ale brewed to honor the annual Blues Festival. Dark and smooth with caramel, coffee, and dried fruit notes. Alcohol: 6.5%. Origin: England.
• Spitsbergen White IPA A unique hybrid of wheat beer's fruity notes and IPA's bold hops. Brewed with dried orange peel and coriander. Light, fruity with spice notes. Alcohol: 6%.
• Gruve 3 Røde Robert A bold Red Ale aged in oak barrels, tribute to Robert Hermansen. Malty sweetness balanced with hop bitterness enhanced by whiskey barrel aging. Dark red color with notes of coffee, raisins, and dates. Alcohol: 11%.
• Gruve 3 Stiger A powerful Imperial Stout aged in oak barrels in former mines. Tribute to Harald Wang, a respected foreman and shift leader in the mines. Roasted and caramel malts with bold coffee and chocolate notes.
• Mikkeller x Svalbard Helles Collaboration beer between Svalbard Bryggeri and Mikkeller. A German-style Helles Lager - golden, smooth and balanced with round malt body, subtle sweetness, mild bitterness, and delicate German hop notes. Alcohol: 4.7%.
• Svalbard Water Since 2019, Svalbard Bryggeri has been the main supplier of sparkling water on Svalbard, including plain and citrus variants. The brewery serves as a critical backup water source for Longyearbyen with advanced filtration systems.
• Build-a-Box Mixed Packs Customizable 12, 24, and 48-can mixed beer boxes allowing customers to mix and match any available beer styles, with volume discounts of 12% on the 24-pack and 20% on the 48-pack.
• Brewery Tours & Beer Tastings Beer tastings (including 5 unique beers with history and brewing process education) and brewery tours offered at the Longyearbyen location, with sessions on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 18:00, minimum 4 people, 90-minute duration. Private events available for larger groups. Summer bar open daily 16:00-22:00.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced CO2 usage by 80% through nitrogen replacement

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MikkellercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaboration between the world's northernmost brewery and world's most creative craft brewer. Joint creation of SVALBARD HELLES, a German-style Helles Lager. Tribute to Svalbard's spirit of survival and resilience fused with Mikkeller's Scandinavian creativity. Combines tradition with innovation for unique flavor experience.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Aass Bryggeri: Drammen-based Norwegian brewery with broad mainstream and craft range including bock and lager. Comparable as a Norwegian brewery with regional heritage positioning and Vinmonopolet distribution, though at a larger mainstream scale.
• 7 Fjell Bryggeri: Bergen-based Norwegian craft brewery focused on local provenance and broad style portfolio. Comparable as Norwegian craft peer targeting on-trade and specialty retail; primarily serves Western Norway rather than competing directly in Svalbard's tourist channel.

Broad incumbents

• BrewDog: Large Scottish craft brewery with global bars, franchised taprooms, and broad distribution. Comparable as a broad craft incumbent operating at significantly larger scale, demonstrating the scale ceiling Svalbard could aspire to in select export markets.
• Stone Brewing: US craft brewery with broad international distribution and IPAs as its flagship. Comparable as a larger craft incumbent whose European wholesale footprint illustrates the distribution model Svalbard's B2B portal aspires to within Germany.
• Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan: World's oldest continuously operating brewery (since 1040), located in Bavaria and producing traditional German styles including Weissbier and Bock. Comparable as a heritage German brewery whose styles (Weissbier, Bock) overlap with Svalbard's Spitsbergen range.

Direct peers

• Haandbryggeriet: Norwegian craft brewery specializing in bottle-conditioned, unfiltered beers including barrel-aged and high-ABV offerings. Comparable as small-scale Norwegian craft peer with premium, character-driven positioning and export distribution.
• Mikkeller: Danish craft brewery known for gypsy brewing and high-ABV experimental beers. Direct comparable on craft positioning, Scandinavian identity, and 2025 co-branded SVALBARD HELLES collaboration, with similar 'storytelling-driven' marketing approach.
• Nøgne Ø: Norwegian craft brewery producing a diverse range of styles (IPAs, stouts, saisons) for global distribution. Comparable on Norwegian craft heritage, range diversity, and export-oriented DTC strategy to European markets.
• Omnipollo: Swedish craft brewery using a gypsy-brewing model with strong visual identity and Hazy IPA focus. Comparable as Scandinavian craft peer with art-driven branding, frequent collaborations, and international bottle/can distribution.
• Lervig Aktiebryggeri: Stavanger-based Norwegian craft brewery with broad style range and international distribution via major partners (including 7-Eleven US). Comparable as Norwegian craft peer with similar barrel-aged premium offerings and DTC infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SvalbardBryggeri
• Instagraminstagram.com/svalbardbrewery
• Xx.com/Svalbardbrygger
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/svalbard-brewery-import-export-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Svalbard Bryggeri