At age 62, Danish mink farmer Paul Erik Westergaard never thought of reinventing himself as a brewer.However The country’s controversial culling The 2020 mink population decline to COVID-19 forced Vestergaard to change jobs.
Paul Eric started brewing beer in his kitchen with his son Martin and childhood friend Thomas. The ban on mink farming will be lifted next year, but he has no intention of returning to business.
“I never imagined doing this,” he said.
“They had this hobby and were looking to take it to the next level. It’s going to be exciting: a new chapter!”
This conversion has been helped in part by a nationwide reconversion project for former mink farmers who have been forced out of business by culling.
“Mink farmers are a very entrepreneurial group,” said Bent Mikkelsen, manager of the reconversion project.
“Today, there are very few people who do not have a mink farmer doing some kind of work or starting another business.”
mink farming Will reopen in Denmark in January.
Prior to the 2020 slaughter, Denmark was the world’s largest producer of mink, with an export value of €500 million.
For more information, watch the Euronews report in the video above.