“It’s our fourth year in a row for the festival. Last year we sold out with 1200 people attending with live music, 47 craft beer, cider, mead and spirits producers and 5 food trucks. We had brewers from Nova Scotia, PEI, Ontario, Quebec, Maine, and a couple from Belgium.” This year’s festival, scheduled for July 17-18, is shaping up to be another success. Cole is expecting to have 40+ vendors, 3 bands and several popular food trucks. All proceeds from the festival go to a local charity. Coach buses will shuttle festival goers from Fredericton, Woodstock, Saint John and this year from St. Stephen/Harvey.
Future Plans The steady success of Big Axe Brewery continues to offer opportunity for organic growth. Today, Big Axe beers are found in 60 Grocery stores in NB Atlantic Super Stores and Sobeys grocery stores and on tap in many restaurants and pubs across New Brunswick, as well as in 2-3 privately owned stores in Halifax, Nova Scotia. While all beers are currently in glass bottles, Cole plans to move into canning which will offer more distribution possibilities. Working with Craft Coast Canning, a mobile canning service based in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Big Axe will begin producing the Wrath of Putting in tall boys in late spring and is already approved for grocery stores in New Brunswick. Cole hopes to add more fer - menters and begin canning on site to further expand his market into more of Nova Scotia, PEI, down into the U.S. and farther west. Meanwhile, Cole is enjoying his work and life in the country. “People like the atmosphere here and they enjoy our product. We achieved what we were aiming for.”
Great outdoor destination The Nackawic area around the Big Axe brewery abounds with outdoor activities making it a great family destination. A bed and breakfast, next door, is less than a two-minute walk from the Brewery. Directly across the road, on brewery property, RV and tent camping is allowed via Harvest Host, although there are no hookups for RVs. A dock is available for kayaks and canoes, with tie ups at the brewery for houseboats and pontoons. A volleyball court and walking trails offer summer enjoyment while snowshoeing and outdoor ice skating are winter options. “We’re out in the country – only about 25 minutes from Fredericton. People come up during the weekend for the country life. We have a wraparound deck on the river. It’s a beautiful place to relax, sit right out on the St. John’s River and enjoy a pint.”
77
76
JUNE 2020 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020
Made with FlippingBook Annual report