Fox Friday Group - Voluntary Administration

The Fox Friday Group, a group of companies which operate a national portfolio of five hospitality venues and two production breweries located in Hobart, Melbourne and Perth, entered voluntary administration on 16 April.

Founded by Benn and Sarah Hooper in 2019, the brewery started out with a small factory unit located in Moonah and a makeshift taproom on the weekends. The business expanded rapidly, now including Fox Friday’s Hobart brewery and taproom, a brewpub in Melbourne, a venue in Perth, and associated businesses Moonah Hotel & Cellars and Carwyn Cellars.

The group has been struggling in the wake of ASIC’s investigation of Falcon Capital, which provided significant funding to the Fox Friday Group, with the business forced to use operational funds to cover costs. Unfortunately, the owners have been unable to secure a new lender or equity partner in time to avoid the administration.

Keith Crawford and Robert Smith of McGrathNicol were appointed administrators and said they intend to continue to trade the business whilst they pursue a going concern sale or recapitalisation.