E-Malt.com News article: USA, MO & KS: Kansas City Bier announces $1.5 million production expansion by spring

The Kansas City Bier Company has announced plans to more than double its production capacity and begin bottling beer as part of a $1.5 million expansion, Brewbound.com reported on August 26.

The 18-month-old German-style brewery, based in Kansas City, expects to complete the project next spring. Debt financing for the expansion was provided by Missouri Bank, the company said.

Steve Holle, the brewery’s founder, said demand in the Kansas City metro area, which extends into neighbouring Kansas, has outgrown the company’s production capabilities.

“Sales have been climbing steadily, and we are nearing our production capacity for [draft] beer,” said Holle. “Stores are asking to add packaged beer to their retail shelves. It just seems like the right time to grow.”

Current capacity constraints limit the brewery to producing 6,000 barrels of draft-only beer. Kansas City Bier, which launched in early 2014, sold just 1,450 barrels during its first 12 months and the company is on pace to make 5,000 barrels in 2015. The expansion is expected to double capacity to 12,000 barrels annually.

To spearhead its bottling initiative, Kansas City Bier plans to house its new packaging operation, comprised of a semi-automated keg line and bottle filler, in a property adjacent to the brewery, doubling its footprint to 16,500 square feet.

The brewery said it would start by bottling its three year-round beers, Dunkel, Helles, and Hefeweizen.

Looking forward, James Stutsman, Kansas City Bier‘s marketing director, said that with the added capacity, the company also hopes to cover more territories in Missouri and Kansas by the second quarter of 2016.

“We want to make sure we saturate our home market before we expand to cover territories,” Stutsman added. “From there, we hope to have a more regional presence by year five of the business.”


28 August, 2015