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Scottish plant-based startup Beastly Brews, the producer of the oat milk liqueur Panther M*lk, has ceased trading and appointed administrators.

Founded in 2020 by Paul Crawford, Beastly Brews reimagined the traditional Spanish cocktail Leche de Pantera as a sustainable, vegan alternative. The drink was made by swapping condensed milk for oat milk, offering a plant-based and low-impact version of the popular drink.

Following an appearance on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den, Panther M*lk secured retail listings and opened a dedicated bar in Glasgow, which ran for four years. However, despite early traction, the brand has now appointed liquidators.

Beastly Brews employed seven people and achieved around £175,000 turnover between October 2024 and May 2025. All employees were made redundant prior to the appointment of provisional liquidators WBG, led by Donald McKinnon.

McKinnon said: “It is sad to see the demise of such an innovative drinks company with strong potential.”

In a statement, Crawford said: “We had invested in the production of stock in advance with the intention of supplying to Tesco and Sainsbury’s, but both arrangements fell through, leaving us with too much stock, the cost of production to account for, and, ultimately, cashflow difficulties as we sought to offset the stock, resulting in this unfortunate liquidation.”

Top image: © Panther M*lk