Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 21 S E P T E M B E R 7 , 2 0 2 0 S TA R T U P S / E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P Outland Farm Brewery in Pittsfield that opened in April; Belfast's reincarnated Marshall Wharf Brewing and ree Tides brewpub restaurant, under new ownership with big plans; and Bath Ale Works in Wiscasset, which aims to open in November. Slow but strong startup momentum While COVID-19 may have slowed the pace of new breweries on the scene — Maine has added an average of 17 a year over the past decade — they are keeping the buzz going in the high-profile sector. All will add to Maine's cachet as a hotbed of craft-beer entrepreneur- ship, more than three decades after D.L. Geary Brewing Co. in Portland became the first brewer to open east of the Mississippi since Prohibition and 25 years after Rob Tod founded Allagash Brewing Co., also in Maine's largest city. Why the continued startup momen- tum even in the toughest of times? Sean Sullivan, executive director of the nonprofit Maine Brewers' Guild, chalks it up to a combination of increas- ing consumer interest in local beer, an opportunity to fill in the geographic gaps in the marketplace and a strong sense of community and thirst for local brands. "ere's still so many people that are discovering local beer, and there are a lot of communities that are looking for a local business to revitalize their down- town," he says. "A brewery requires a strong community to succeed, and in Maine, strong communities are one of our best assets." Beyond that, Sullivan says, "Maine has become well-known for not just quality beer and brewing expertise, but for having a community of beer business service providers, vendors who offer an easier path to market entry." He also notes that while the brewing process goes back thousands of years, the past five or 10 years have opened people's eyes to the huge varieties and styles of beer, adding: "I think there continues to be opportunities [for new entrants] to establish niches, whether it be based on the style of beer they're brewing, the location or the concept around the expe- rience they're bringing." Sector's economic might In Maine, the number of craft brewers has grown from 66 in a dozen coun- ties in 2015 to 155 today in all 16 counties. Together they produce 121 unique brands. In terms of the industry's economic impact, Maine outshines all but three other states, in the latest scorecard • Multi-functional Color & B&W Copiers • Printers & Scanners • Postage & Mailing Equipment • Software & Network Solutions • Managed Print Services 800.924.4229 www.bdtme.com Since 1989 Local Decisions Be Budget! Problems Solved. Budget Document Technology is an industry leader in providing digital solutions for document creation, production, and distribution. Helping Maine get business done! C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » F O C U S Make sure you, as a founder, are clear about what's important to you. And make sure you have a way for everyone that you hire to understand in no uncertain terms what those important things are. — Rob Tod Founder, Allagash Brewing Co. Finding a niche in beer style, brewery location or customer experience is critical. We have a lot of breweries making high- quality beer in Maine and the marketplace is crowded, so differentiation is key. — Sean Sullivan Executive director, Maine Brewers' Guild Advice for aspiring craft beer entrepreneurs from the Boulder, Colo.-based Brewers Association. e nonprofit trade and industry group represents more than 5,200 small independent brewers nationwide. In its latest economic impact report, the trade group calculates that the craft brewing industry as a whole F I L E P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F A L L A G A S H B R E W I N G C O.

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