Everybody remembers their first time at Kona Brewing Company’s pub or brewery. People feel emotionally attached to the brand, but others think the company belongs to the multinational Anheuser-Busch, owner of Budweiser, Stella Artois, and Bud Light. Though it was accurate a few years back, this company has decided to craft its own destiny.
Kona Brewing Company started in 1994, aiming to represent Hawai’i through crafted drinks. However, marketing knowledge and sales limited its growth. In 2010, Craft Brew Alliance (CBA) bought it out. Although the staff learned how to grow the business, it was clear that CBA’s effort was focused on volume production and reaching new markets.
Without a bottling plant in Hawai'i, CBA had to buy bottles on the mainland, fill them, and then ship them across the mainland and Hawai'i. This business strategy wasn't financially sustainable, so CBA opted to brew beer off-state.
In 2020, Kona Brewing Company became independent of Craft Brew Alliance. Anheuser-Busch, the already exclusive distributor, planned to purchase the remaining CBA shares, but the Department of Justice prevented it from becoming a monopoly in the state. The deal was to keep the mainland and the Hawaiian businesses separated.
“We're more local than anybody because we cannot even sell outside Hawai’i. There are things that you can only drink here because you will never find them on the mainland,” says Nathalie Carisey, President of the Company.
A few years back, most of the beer was made across the ocean, but now 75% is sold out of the Kona facility. “The best thing we ever did was to put the flag on the cans that says ‘Made in Kona, Hawai’i.’ The beer tastes better here than on the mainland because we brew it daily, and it’s not pasteurized,” says Jen Busch, VP of Finance.
The change of direction led the company to ask itself what the best thing to do for the land, its employees, and the community was. “When we became independent in 2020, there was a lot of excitement about returning to our roots. We unpacked the corporate stuff but kept our original values from our founders. Then we fine-tuned them to what we have now,” says Amie Yessis, Director of Talent and Culture.
Empowering the staff team created a nurturing working environment. Between Kona, O’ahu, Kauai, and the remote workers, the employee count is 224. Some have been with the company for up to 20 years, a rarity in restaurants that screams ‘employer of choice.’
“I knew liquid aloha was a catchphrase on the side of each bottle. But when I moved to Hawai’i, I realized it's a lifestyle where you can talk with somebody and feel the aloha, the respect, the love, you know? It changed my perspective on what beer is and can be,” says Andre Borlack, Brewery Manager.
Though the new building can be spotted from Kuakini Highway, the lot stayed empty for years until construction started amid the global pandemic. The establishment is a pinnacle of development and sustainability, but the process to get there involved the entire staff team.
“I worked at the original brewery that started in ‘94 and then came to this world-class facility that we got to be a part of designing and building. I got to help draw the lab on paper and then see it come to life,” says Kayla Jensen, QA Manager.
As part of its pledge to the environment, Kona Brewing Company combines solar panels with an on-site biogas microturbine. The plan is to install a battery bank to maximize energy production and support the local grid. “At this company, if it makes sense for the planet, we do it. We're not making decisions just based on the bottom line, we also consider the impact on the island community,” says Tietjen Hines, Senior Director of Engineering and Technical Services.
Ryan McVeigh, Director of Brewing, Operations and Brew Master, shares that during the two decades, he’s been with the company, every year something improves. “Wood pallets, aluminum, and the plastic wrap we use for almost everything can be and should be recycled and reused. The next phase of business in Hawai'i is going back to those core values and sharing them across the industry,” he says.
This commitment ensures the company's achievements and resources are shared with the local ‘ohana. A year ago, Koholā Brewery lost its facility during the Maui Fire. Months later, they contacted Kona Brewing Company, asking for help producing their beer. Where others would’ve seen the business competition, Kona Brewing Company saw an opportunity to practice their kuleana.
“We've been putting their beer back on the market and did a collaboration beer with them, which we introduced in Maui on August 1st. They're opening their first taproom since the fire,” says Nathalie Carisey.
But the investment doesn’t end there. The company also facilitates tours to college and high school students looking for educational opportunities like a degree in fermentation science. “We want to open our doors to schools to come and train or use our equipment to do research,” says Nathalie Carisey. She desires to connect people with the local industry and show them career opportunities without having to leave the state.
KBC’s goal for the upcoming years is to source and produce everything in Hawai’i. Innovation and sustainability are vital in facilitating collaboration with hotels, established island companies, and even food trucks.
“We want to know everybody and see how we can use our name to help create new things,” says Nathalie Carisey. “We’re dedicated to the island; we’re dedicated to Kona. We are letting people know we are not 30 years old, we're 30 years young, and there's more to come.”
Learn more at KonaBrewingHawaii.com.
We're more local than anybody because we cannot even sell outside Hawai’i. There are things that you can only drink here ... — Nathalie Carisey, President of the Company.
We are letting people know we are not 30 years old; we're 30 years young, and there's more to come.