Is there a hidden ingredient in your pint?
In this episode of Business & a Brew, we dive into the surprising story behind glyphosate – the active ingredient in Roundup weed killer – and its journey from farm fields to your beer glass.

We unpack how a herbicide developed by Monsanto and now owned by Bayer became one of the most widely used chemicals on the planet, and why World Health Organization has classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen, what that actually means in real terms, and why regulators like the US EPA and the European Food Safety Authority don’t all agree. We get into how glyphosate ends up in everyday products like barley, beer and wine, often at trace levels, and the implications of a major US Supreme Court case that could reshape how chemical companies are held accountable for harm. Along the way, there’s a personal story from Si’s allotment days, including what “I’ll nuke it” really meant, a breakdown of the multi billion dollar lawsuits facing Bayer, and an honest chat about what consumers can realistically take from all of this, including whether it would actually stop anyone ordering a pint.

We also touch on the wider context, including the fact that glyphosate has been found in many popular beer brands, typically at levels well below legal limits, and why “probable carcinogen” doesn’t mean a pint is going to give you cancer but does raise important questions about long term exposure. We explore how regulators and researchers often approach risk differently, asking whether something can cause harm versus whether it does under real world conditions, which is why conclusions can conflict. The conversation rounds out with what this means for the future, from the potential impact of ongoing legal cases to the growing importance of transparency in brewing, sourcing and farming practices as part of building trust with consumers.

If you haven't listened to our Monsanto/Bayer episodes - heres the quick link to Part 1 and Part 2

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business.

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat.

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

BrewDog was once the poster child for punk business – cult branding, guerrilla marketing and a loyal army of “equity punks” behind it. So how did a billion‑pound craft beer darling end up as a cautionary tale?

In this episode, Danielle and Simon revisit BrewDog – not just the headlines, but the actual full story. From two mates with a van and a second‑hand brewing kit to global bars, a US expansion and sky‑high valuations, they unpack how the brand rose so fast… and why it all started to unravel.

They dive into:

• How BrewDog used controversy, stunts and storytelling to build a movement
• The power and pitfalls of “equity punks” and crowdfunding your superfans
• The toxic culture allegations and open letter that lifted the lid on life inside the business
• What went wrong financially – from rapid global growth to a risky push into the US
• The role of the founder’s personality: when a strong personal brand becomes the biggest risk
• The deeper questions around growth, ego, and what “success” should really look like

If you’re building a personality‑led brand, scaling a values‑driven business, or just fascinated by how quickly a darling brand can lose its shine, this conversation is packed with lessons – and a bit of beer‑fuelled nostalgia along the way.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business.

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat.

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.

Sand sounds harmless. Beachy. Innocent. Something you shake out of your shoes.

Turns out it’s one of the most fought-over resources on the planet.

We get into the world of illegal sand mining, often referred to as the “sand mafia,” and why this unassuming material is the backbone of global construction. After water, sand is the most exploited natural resource on Earth, with around 50 billion tonnes used every year to build our homes, cities, and infrastructure. Which means demand is relentless.

This isn’t just a local issue either. Sand mining is global. From Southeast Asia to Africa and beyond, construction booms fuel extraction at a pace regulation simply can’t match. And because sand feels abundant, it rarely attracts the same scrutiny as oil or minerals.

We unpack why regulation is patchy, why policing it is incredibly difficult, and how something so ordinary became a billion-dollar black market.

A conversation about supply and demand, corruption and consequence, and the uncomfortable truth that even the most basic materials can carry a heavy cost.

Brew in hand. Beaches forever changed.

About Simon and Danielle:

Simon and Danielle are both business owners, based in the East Midlands, who met through mutual business contacts and who share a love of all things business.

Simon runs Skylight Media – Award-winning experts in Website Design, E-commerce & Marketing running since 2003.

Danielle runs Goldspun Support – a multi-faceted support service for fractional directors and small business owners across the globe, running since 2009.

Since they first met Simon and Danielle have spent a ridiculous amount of time talking about the subjects that interest them – usually over a drink in the pub – and they decided that now was the time to bring these conversations to a wider audience and invite them to join the chat.

Both Simon and Danielle are successful business owners in their own rights with big plans for the future but will never lose their love of talking all things business… and the pub.