E-Malt.com News article: US, CA: Hangar 24 Craft Brewery poised for growth thanks to new distribution center and sales in new markets

Redlands-based Hangar 24 Craft Brewery is poised for growth as it adds a new 22,000-square-foot distribution center at 1939 W. Park Ave. in Redlands and expands distribution into new markets, The Press-Enterprise communicated on April, 7.

The brewery, located across the street from the Redlands Municipal Airport, sold its first keg in 2008, and has since grown at a steady pace.

Up to this point, Hangar 24 beers were brewed at the airport location, then shipped to a Castle & Cook Cold Storage in Colton for distribution.

"It's been crazy inefficient going back and forth," said owner Ben Cook, "but great that it's been able to get us to this point."

The company has about 40 employees, but is going to add two management positions, a driver, merchandiser and a sales person when the distribution center opens within the next month or so.

The distribution center will house a 4,000-square-foot cold storage area and offices.

So far, Hangar 24 has been distributing in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, but will soon be expanding into Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties.

"We've done amazingly well in the two counties," Cook said. "Our goal is to grow from the center out."

Cook estimates that they'll outgrow the current brewing operations by 2015 and will need to expand.

But to accommodate the current growth, Hangar 24 will be adding several tanks at the brewing location and the company is considering the addition of a canning line.

Hangar 24 has 1,100 accounts; up from 300 last year about this same time.

"We have some large grocer chains that will soon include us in all their stores, not just the local ones," Cook said. "We're very excited to keep growing and happy to add more jobs to the local economy."


08 April, 2011