There are now more 2,800 craft breweries competing for a finite amount of shelf space and tap handles and, although the craft beer industry looks poised for many years of growth and innovation, competition is stiff.
For years, stalwarts like Boston Beer Company, New Belgium and Deschutes Brewery drove much of the craft industry’s robust expansion, but the continued development of the segment now rests in the hands of a contingent of young entrepreneurs — many of whom are still getting their sea legs in the business world.
That’s why Brewbound is delighted to present a panel discussion with three of these young New England-based entrepreneurs at the upcoming Brewbound Session, being held on May 29 in Boston.
Joining a talk on early-stage entrepreneurship will be Luke Livingston, the founder of Baxter Beer Company; Maggie Foley, the co-founder of Backlash Beer Company; and Tyler Mosher, the co-founder of Downeast Cider House.
So what do these three 20-somethings have in common? Through their first few years in business, each founder has separated their companies from a swath of craft brands, found a niche and earned the attention of key influencers, wholesalers and retailers in the process.
At the Brewbound Session, the trio will discuss how they’ve navigated a crowded craft landscape and endured mistakes during their formative years. While examining what they’ve learned and how they’ve overcome challenges, the group will deliver key lessons that every young, craft beverage entrepreneur can use to improve their businesses.
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The Brewbound Session is a full-day conference for beer industry professionals. The event focuses on the strategic marketing, brand building and business development issues that most directly impact craft brewers. A variety of distribution, retail, investment and branding discussions are offered.
Brewbound Session attendees will have multiple opportunities to engage speakers, both during the moderated portions of the program and also during structured networking and sampling breaks.
Sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities are available. To learn more or for questions regarding registration, please contact Mike Vassallo at mvassallo@bevnet.com or by phone at 617-231-8827 to learn more.
About Luke Livingston:
Luke Livingston, 29, grew up in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine community and decided to return home after attending Clark University in Worcester, MA, where he received a BA in Communications & Culture in 2007. Livingston developed an obsession with fine beers and began brewing his own in his college dormitory; an obsession that led to the successful online beer journal, BlogAboutBeer.com, which he authored for nearly four years.
Between July 2009 and June 2010, Livingston raised a total of $1.3 million in private, bank and city funding to open Baxter Brewing Co. in a vacant civil war-era textile factory in downtown Lewiston, ME. Baxter shipped its first case of beer in January of 2011.
Named the “2011 New Brewery of the Year” by BevNET Magazine, today Baxter Brewing Co. employs 19 people, with plans to further add to its workforce in 2014. The company grossed over $1 Million in its first year, and brewed a total of 5,040 barrels of beer in their first full year of production. Livingston was also named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list of Food & Drink entrepreneurs in 2011.
About Maggie Foley:
Maggie Foley, 27, grew up in Maine and graduated from Boston’s Simmons College in 2008 with a degree in marketing. Foley co-founded Backlash Beer Company in July 2011 with her fiance, Helder Pimentel. The company was launched with the goal of targeting a younger demographic and commitment to making beer that way it was intended: flavorful, gimmick-free, and not produced in ridiculous quantities. Headquartered in Boston, Backlash currently produces its beer under contract, at Paper City in Holyoke, MA., Foley, also an “experience architect” at Hill Holliday, steers the creative vision for the Backlash brand.
About Tyler Mosher:
Tyler Mosher, 25, was born on Boston’s South Shore, grew up in Northern California and went to Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. While in school, Tyler decided to apply his dream of starting a company to apples and began making hard cider with a few friends. Nearly three years later, Downeast Cider House is now producing cider in Boston, MA and employs 15 people. Mosher was also named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list of Food & Drink entrepreneurs in 2014.
About the Brewbound Session:
The Brewbound Session is a business conference addressing the topics that most directly impact the decisions craft brewers are faced with as they look to grow their brands. The event focuses on the business side of craft, offering brewers a unique opportunity to learn from and network with industry experts.
About Brewbound.com
Published by BevNET.com, Inc. Brewbound.com is dedicated to covering the rapidly evolving craft beer industry. Brewbound delivers daily content via www.brewbound.com and the Brewbound email Newsletter. Content includes: new product launches, analysis of industry trends, video interviews with industry leaders, expert beer reviews and exclusive content from craft beer events.