Turning five is a big deal for any small business, so it’s no surprise that the team at Lord Chambray are raising a glass. The independent company opened its doors in Gozo in July 2014 and has been steadily growing since. But how did an Italian family from just outside Milan end up on a tiny Maltese island?

“My family has been travelling to Gozo for 29 years,” says Founder and Director Samuele D'Imperio. “I spent most of my summers there as a child, so it was always a place I was familiar with. But it wasn’t until I spent a year in Sydney in 2012 that I had the idea to open a craft brewery. On returning home to Italy I spoke to my family about the idea and they suggested that Gozo might be a good place to set it up.”

So he did! 

Surrounded by beauty

Samuele says the natural beauty and sense of adventure that he remembered from Gozo as a child is also the essence of the Lord Chambray brand. His beers are named after local sites including San Blas, Golden Bay, Blue Lagoon and Fungus Rock. It’s also very important to him to use as many local ingredients as possible, which is why some of the beers are seasonal. “Our Flinders Rose is made with local caper flowers and sea salt. Our Winter Ale is made with local honey and our Wild Fennel is actually made with wild fennel.” Delish!

Samuele also goes out of his way to include the people of Gozo in his process as much as possible. “I hold events to educate people on what craft beer is. For example, when I first came here, Gozitans thought the ingredient hops was only something that was used in bread, but I showed them otherwise. It was also important to me that locals understand why craft beer is a little bit more expensive, but also why it’s worth paying that little bit extra!”

Staying ahead

“When you are the first, it often means you open the door for others to follow and compete. But while many have tried to start their own brewery, not many have succeeded. There are around 150 different types of craft beer available on the islands and four local breweries, but the majority of craft beers - around 90 per cent - are still imported," Samuele says.

With close to five years of experience under his beer belt, Samuele says it was time to freshen up the brand. “We’re changing the labels on our bottles slightly to include colours that are inspired by local places.”

And it seems to be working. Lord Chambray has already won 12 international awards in the UK, Belgium and Germany. It’s distributed in around 40 bars, restaurants and supermarkets in Gozo as well as 80 to 100 in Malta. It also has a stand in Luqa International Airport, which makes sense given that 50 per cent of customers are tourists. Not a bad way to cruise into your fifth business birthday!

The man behind the brand

So, who is Lord Chambray? “He is a character I came up with,” adds Samuele. “Lord Chambray is independent and brave and motivated to make new experiences, push boundaries and take risks. He is a person who constantly seeks possibilities and loves to explore unclaimed territories."

"Lord Chambray is known for being the first to break ground and he likes to do things differently. He uses scientific, technical or business experience to find truly innovative solutions. He’s driven by obstacles or unexpected turns, rather than be discouraged by them. He’s an extrovert and likes to be surrounded by good company and wants to contribute to the growth of his local community by realising his vision and ideas.”

He definitely sounds like someone we’d like to have a beer with!