Class of 1984: 40 years on, a reunion full of memories...
A Kedger has created the first beer-escape game in France: The Brew Society!
A graduate 2011 KEDGE, Alexandre Debroas and his two partners have just launched the first escape game in France based on the brewing of beer, in Rouen.
To begin with, tell us about your educational background. What did you study at KEDGE, and prior to attending KEDGE?
I took the ESC course at Kedge Marseille and graduated in 2011. I have great memories of my time in both Marseille and at the school. I especially remember my first day, and the then director’s speech which inspired the students. I had the feeling that I wanted to set off on an adventure that was out of the ordinary, which is what I did. I could easily imagine it because I saw students working on such different projects and having the means to make them happen. I remember an event organised at the old port to raise funds for an association that was important to us. I remember a Christmas project to provide gifts to the children of Marseille. I remember many things, and for a long time.
Tell us about what you did once you finished school. What positions have you held and what did they teach you?
After I graduated, I went for commercial management positions in different fields in Paris and Normandy, which is my birth region. I got bored quickly in my different jobs so I kept changing. Then I discovered amateur beer making. And from then on, my world changed.
Tell us about your microbrewery, The Brew Society. What made you think of this idea?
I discovered how to brew beer in my kitchen when someone gave me a home brewing kit for Christmas. I brewed some beer - which made a disaster of my kitchen and was very work-intensive for a result that was, in the end, mediocre. But it was too late, I was hooked on brewing. I took course in craft beer brewing in the Vexin, then eventually I studied the craft beer market and understood its potential. Then I joined an incubator in Normandy: Normandie Incubation. And finally, I launched my structure in April 2018
What are your development plans for the future?
We are currently in the middle of a crowdfunding campaign in order to open a microbrewery in Rouen January 2019 and create the first beer-escape game of France: the 1431. (Find out more: https://www.brewsociety.fr/content/21-biere-1431)
We are concentrating on the opening of the production site and, at the same time, are doing research and development on developing equipment for connected brewing.
What kind of reception is the project getting from the public at the moment?
The public is very hooked on our concept, according to the popularity of our video posted on Facebook. It has already been viewed by more than 35,000 people!
The Brew Society – Season 1, Episode 1: 1431. Discover the first beer escape game with beer brewed in Rouen. Help the project come to light: https://www.tudigo.co/don/the-brew-society
Published by TheBrewSociety on Monday, 30 July 2018
How did your education at KEDGE Business School help you become who you are today, and what courses helped you develop your project?
I learned a lot of things at KEDGE, but I think that there are two points that have been fundamental to my professional life:
- Speaking in public: we had to frequently speak in public in all our school projects. This was initially a challenge for me, but then it became a real pleasure.
- Teamwork: We worked in a team in almost every subject, through which I learned this basic concept, as well as how to use it in my entrepreneurial venture.
What advice would you give to students and graduates of KEDGE who would like to get started?
If I had to give advice, and particulary in regard to entrepreneurship, it would be to prepare for the beginning, when it is difficult to cover costs. So I would tell them to have some money set aside in order to be able to stay calm. For those who are hesitant, I would simply say that it is one of the most beautiful undertakings in existence. To see a thing come to life and to have done everything from A to Z gives you an incomparable sense of satisfaction.
Anything else to add? A message to pass on?
I need your help so we can reach our dream of opening a microbrewery in Rouen. You can help support us via this link:
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