Brewdog, the Aberdeenshire-based craft brewer, has reported a fivefold increase in pre-tax profits to £2.4million, on sales 70 per cent higher at £18million.

Turnover had almost doubled the previous year but profits had risen by only 15 per cent at Brewdog, which boasts the world's strongest beer.

The company's 'equity for punks' crowdfunding campaign raised £4.25m in less than six months to help it expand production capacity tenfold, and it opened three new bars during the year including its first international outpost in Sweden. Meanwhile Plan Bee, which offers sponsored sustainable beekeeping as a corporate social responsibility initiative to businesses and other organisations, has raised almost £106,000 from 177 investors through the Crowdcube platform.

Founder Warren Bader said discussions had taken place with North Lanarkshire Council to introduce beehive projects to ten local schools, replicating a project the company ran at Glasgow's Lourdes Secondary School. The business also aims to employ disadvantaged young people who have missed out on government youth schemes.