Hopsters Co-operative Brewery
Australia’s first and most documented hospitality-sector co-operative. Established in 2016 as a distributing co-operative under the Co-operatives National Law (CNL). ABN 60 962 465 667. Located in Enmore, Sydney’s inner west. 850+ members own the taproom and brewery.
Profile
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Legal form | Distributing co-operative (CNL) |
| Location | Enmore, Sydney, NSW |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Members | 850+ |
| Membership cost | $250 minimum (member shares) |
| Membership eligibility | Any Australian resident aged 18+ |
| Governance | One member, one vote; elected board; professional manager permitted |
| ABN | 60 962 465 667 |
Governance Model — Relevance to Pride
Hopsters’ governance model is the most relevant Australian precedent for a Co-operative Conversion Pathway at Pride of Our Footscray:
Active membership definition: members must purchase a minimum amount of beer per year OR complete a minimum number of brewing training/volunteering hours to maintain active membership status. This dual-track approach balances the CNL’s active membership requirement with practical accessibility — members who cannot attend regularly can maintain status through purchases, while engaged members can contribute time instead of money.
Volunteer operations: all bar staff, brewing staff, event organisers, and committee members are volunteer members — there are no paid operational employees beyond management. The rules permit the Board to appoint a professional (non-member) brewery/taproom manager for day-to-day operations.
Open membership: any Australian resident aged 18+ can join. Membership is the entry point, not a barrier. This is the approach that may allow satisfaction of the s 118 ITAA 1936 90% member business test — if substantially all patrons are members, substantially all revenue is member revenue.
Events programme: alongside brewing, Hopsters hosts live music, comedy, trivia, and accessible community events (including Auslan nights). These are secondary activities serving the active membership requirement and community engagement — directly analogous to Pride’s programming model.
Implications for Pride
Applicable patterns: open low-cost membership, dual-track active membership (spend OR volunteer), volunteer staffing for cost reduction, professional management for operational competence, community programming as membership driver.
Cautions for Pride context: Hopsters is a brewery (product-based) where member transactions naturally dominate. Pride is a live entertainment venue where public ticket sales to non-members are a significant revenue stream — the s 118 risk is higher. Hopsters’ all-volunteer operational model may not translate to a late-night entertainment venue with RSA, security, and WHS obligations. Volunteer labour at a brewery is legally simpler than volunteer bartending at a licensed nightclub.
Key Facts
- First Australian brewing co-operative; most documented hospitality co-op case study
- 850+ members — demonstrates community capital mobilisation at scale under CNL
- All operational staff are volunteer members (no paid operational employees beyond management)
- Active membership = minimum beer purchase OR volunteer hours (dual-track model)
- Open membership for any Australian resident 18+
- Hosts live music, comedy, trivia, Auslan events — secondary to brewing but operationally analogous to Pride’s programming
- Disclosure statements publicly available (2021, 2022 versions)
Related Pages
- Co-operative Conversion Pathway — conversion process and governance design
- Community-Owned Venue Economics — Australian case studies and structural comparison
- Co-operative Tax Capital Raising Governance Research — source (Apr 2026)
- BCCM — co-operative support body