Drewrys Brewing Company, a recently revived historic beer maker from South Bend, Indiana, has announced plans for expansion as part of a private placement offering to raise a new round of capital for its existing business.
The company relaunched the classic Drewrys lager during a gala event in October 2013, with nearly 400 attendees eager for the first taste of a beer that was absent for nearly 40 years. The Drewrys brand continued to gain local momentum through its nostalgic appeal, quality taste and grassroots marketing campaign, but positive reception throughout the region has resulted in a demand that exceeded the immediate production and distribution channel capabilities.
Now, with several investors already on board, Drewrys is moving forward with plans to raise $100,000 to expand its reach to customers throughout the Midwest. Investors will have the unique opportunity to take an active role in the future of the company because Drewrys will allow all stockholders to share their own visions for, and shape, the company.
“Everyone we’ve talked to over the past year has their own individual Drewrys memory,” said Dan Blacharski, Drewrys vice president of marketing. “The brand is embedded so deeply in the region’s culture that we rightly decided the opportunity for ownership would resonate with many of our local stakeholders, as well as regional and national investors.”
Known for the lager as well as new small-batch products, Drewrys was originally founded in 1877 in Canada, coming to Indiana immediately after the end of Prohibition. It was the 10th-largest brewer in the country and a mainstay in Midwest homes until 1972, when it was purchased during the “beer war” and ultimately shut down in the 1990s. The brand was revived by Chicago businessman Frank Manzo and returned to the market in 2013.
“The timing was right for the return of Drewrys,” said Manzo, the Drewrys president. “The acquisition of various regional brews by big beer giants resulted in the loss of many hometown favorites. Unfortunately, some of those excellent recipes and flavors were lost forever, but not ours. Now the market is shifting and people are growing tired of mass-produced adjunct lagers and over-priced microbrews alike. That’s where we fit in.”
The private placement is open to interested investors through September 2014. Details about the Drewrys business plan, investment and other information are available at www.drewrysbrewing.com and on Facebook. Follow @DrewrysBrewing on Twitter.
Retro Brewer Drewrys Announces Private Placement Offering to Meet Regional Demand
