Mainebiz

V O L . X X I I N O. X X S E P T E M B E R 5 , 2 0 1 6 16 T urning passion into profi ts is never easy. It's particularly challenging in the rapidly expanding and fi ercely competitive beverage industry. ree companies with Maine ties and multi- state operations are focusing not just on the bottom line, but also on ingredients and processes in a highly competitive industry. Costs are higher, mak- ing the balance more complicated. Royal Rose Simple Syrup, Bluet and Maine Root are growing brands, all at diff erent phases of their growth, but they share common threads. In the words of Maine Root's president Mark Seiler, the equation is actually pretty simple: "You attract customers with a good product at a price you can aff ord to make it for," he says. Royal Rose's move to Maine Forrest and Emily Butler started Royal Rose in their kitchen in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 2010, with no initial intention of manufacturing the premium mixers. Emily had been canning peaches and they thought the leftover juice, along with fresh basil and spices, might make an interesting 'simple syrup' to mix into a cocktail. She was a teacher; Forrest, thanks to the recession, was an interior architect-turned-bartender. He took a jar of their syrup to work that evening and after customers raved about his fruit-infused cock- tails, the couple made more, lots more. One of its challenges has been to educate not only consumers but supermarket chains. Royal Rose sells syrups in a variety of fl avors — Strawberry Fennel, Lavender Lemon, Raspberry and Ginger Lime. ey add fl avor to cocktails, but also water, seltzer, soft drinks, teas, even wines and beers. ey can be stirred into coff ee, poured over yogurt or ice cream and added to desserts. Its syrups sell for about $12 for an eight-ounce bottle. "We started at a time when this type of mixer wasn't even a thing yet," Forrest says. "So a lot of retailers didn't get it; didn't know what to do with us. Now larger chain stores are reaching out — people who told us 'no' three or four years ago. Interest is starting to explode." Sales have increased an average of 65% annually over the past six years. " is has been a bootstrapped operation from Day 1," Forrest says. To launch the company, they maxed out their credit cards. "It was really tough, but we didn't want to take on investors, we wanted to grow it organically," he says. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY F O C U S P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Jessica Fogg, general manager of Royal Rose Simple Syrup, and Don Tougas, production manager, make Cardamom Clove Simple Syrup at the company's site in the Fort Andross Mill in Brunswick. In the beverage business, details matter B y T i n a F i s c h e r bottle Mission in a

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