Guelph's Wellington Brewery to expand to match demand for craft beer
In order to keep the taps flowing, Wellington Brewery in Guelph has been brewing 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the past two years to meet the growing demand for craft beer in Ontario.
Now, the company is hoping to meet that demand with a 12,000-square-foot expansion of its Woodlawn Road facility next year.
Vice president Brent Davies says there's so much demand for beer, the company has not been able to build up inventory.
"We have purchased a state of the art canning line, bottling line and labeller and a new brewhouse," said Davies Wednesday in an interview with Craig Norris on The Morning Edition. "The beer is brewed there and then it's transferred from the brewhouse to the fermenters, ferments for about 14 days, then we package it."
With the new expansion, Wellington should be able to do in four days and 16-hour shifts what they're now doing in seven days, working 24 hours a day, Davies said.
The company, which has been brewing beer for nearly 30 years, currently has 45 employees, although Davies believes it will be hiring more people in a variety of departments such as production, marketing and sales.
Right now, Wellington brews about 27,000 hectolitres a year, which is the equivalent of around 330,000 cases of 24-packs of beer. With the expansion, it will be able to make up to 200,000 hectolitres a year.
"It's all natural, it's small, it's locally sourced and locally brewed," said Davies about what makes Wellington a craft brewer. Wellington beers are available in Ontario, generally between Ottawa and Windsor.
New rules helped
Changes to the province's rules about how and where beer can be sold are also helping demand grow for his product, he said.
"Right now it's very exciting to be in the craft beer industry," said Davies.
The province announced last week that it would allow the sale of beer in up to 450 new retail locations like grocery stores, and an expansion in the number of products carried at The Beer Store and an increased shelf space, placement and marketing for craft beers in The Beer Store.
"That's going to give improved access for our customers and more choice and availability," said Davies.