USA, AK: Unalaska Brewing Company business plan wins start-up fund in 2016 Aleutian Marketplace Business Plan Competition

A local man who hopes to start a craft beer brewery in Unalaska next year got a big financial boost from two big regional organizations. "My life is going to be really busy for a while," said Josh Good, looking forward to opening in spring 2017.

According to a report by Bristol Bay Times, the Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association and The Aleut Corporation announced April 6 that Good, a fifth grade teacher, won the 2016 Aleutian Marketplace Business Plan Competition. He received $20,000 in seed money start-up funds for his Unalaska Brewing Company business plan submission.

"The idea is, it's not a bar," Good said. A craft brewery operates under different rules. Customers are limited to drinking 36 ounces, three 12-ounce drinks, on the premises. The maximum size allowed for take-out purchases is 5 gallons, sold in one-gallon "growler" containers. Closing time is 8 p.m., earlier than traditional bars that stay open past midnight.

Good's written business plan and comprehensive presentation before the independent judging panel addressed how the Unalaska Brewing Company will strengthen commerce in the region by becoming the premier beer brewer and supplier of high quality, locally made craft beer.

The Unalaska Brewing Company will be the first and only local brewery in the Aleutians and will capitalize upon the exploding national craft-brewing beer trend. With the closest local beer being made in Anchorage, Kodiak, or Homer, the Unalaska Brewing Company will fill the glasses and kegs closer to home, and with savings on shipping costs. First, he needs permits from federal and state agencies, and the approval of the local government, before buying beer-making equipment.

At first he'll brew just one kind of beer, and later expand the offerings. The product should be available in local bars, as well, through keg sales which he said will save on shipping costs for the traditional establishments, compared to national brands which arrive as maritime cargo.

Food will not be served in the craft brewery because of regulatory restrictions, but customers can bring their own snacks into the business which will occupy about 1,000 square feet of floor space, he said.

"I'm so grateful to APICDA and The Aleut Corporation for providing these start-up funds; I can now move forward with securing the brewery location and getting the project off the ground," said Good, who said the seed money will go towards a lease for the new business. A physical location is required by regulatory agencies, even before he brews his first beverage.

The contest received nine business plan submissions, and three finalists moved forward to the presentation round of competition based on their written plans' scores. Other finalists' projects included: Piama Oleyer's "My Aleutian Home Assisted Living," and Priscilla Miller's "Yin Yang & Aang Mobile Floating Food Truck."

Good, 29, was raised in Lancaster, Penn., and has lived in Alaska for the past 12 years, attending college at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, teaching kindergarten for two years in Fairbanks, and has taught fifth and sixth grade in Unalaska over the past six years. He is married to Melissa Good of UAF's Marine Advisory Program.

The Marketplace has been rolled out gradually over the past two years to establish support and generate a variety of innovative business concepts, educate participants on running a successful business, and provide start-up funds for businesses that will operate in the Aleutian region. Two business idea contests preceded the business plan round of competition.

"The Marketplace is a great opportunity for TAC and APICDA to support the development of innovative businesses in the communities that we serve," said Larry Cotter, APICDA CEO. "All competition participants should be very proud of their business plans; it was evident that a great deal of thought, work and creativity went into the submissions."

Thomas Mack, president of The Aleut Corporation added, "This competition has been very educational and positive for the residents of our region. The opportunity participants had to work with the Alaska Small Business Development Center at UAA through this competition will have a lasting economic impact."

The Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit multimillion dollar corporation incorporated in the state of Alaska. APICDA is one of six Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) Corporations established in 1992. The CDQ program allocates a percentage of all Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands quotas for ground fish, halibut and crab to eligible CDQ Groups.

APICDA and its subsidiary companies generate proceeds through the management of the quotas and uses proceeds to achieve its charitable purpose which is to develop stable local economies in our member communities of Akutan, Atka, False Pass, Nelson Lagoon, Nikolski and St. George.

The Aleut Corporation is one of the 12 Regional Alaska Native Corporations formed under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971. Based in Anchorage, the corporation represents 3,900 shareholders living in the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands region, the Pacific Northwest and the rest of the United States.

Operating as a for-profit corporation, the Aleut family of companies offers product and service capabilities including environmental remediation, base operations support, mechanical contracting, oil field services, real estate management and water testing to a wide range of customers and government agencies throughout the nation.

17 April, 2016