“When we started, there was a lot of duct tape on equipment, and beer in Hawaii has also changed as we have moved forward. The only constant has been that continual change,” he said. “My wife and I wore all the hats at one point, and there still isn’t a job we haven’t done personally.” With four restaurants, a brewery and 800 team- mates, they are happy to have grown their Ohana to new heights. “We always just wanted our volume to grow, and we wanted to be Hawaii’s beer. We sell 80 per cent of our beer in Hawaii, with our other territories being Minnesota and Southern California. We’re happy with what we accomplished.” But with growth comes the need for diversifica- tion, which Maui Brewing is achieving with their own sodas and spirits. “We were built on a sense of place and integrity, but our founding principle is innovation. We looked at whiskey and gin, and they were an extension of what we do. We put in a still and decided to have fun with it,” he said.
them about this, and now they wish they took me up on investing. I was an investment consultant before this, and I pushed myself to get this done.” He says he got into brewing during a “formative time” for the industry. “I grew up in San Diego and took a trip to Maui in the early 2000s. I learned their local beer was made in Portland, and I felt a drive to get them their own beer.” “We opened and there were 1,200 breweries in the area versus 7,000 now. I was always interested in craft beer. I got a Stone IPA keg at my high school graduation party, and I never drank domestic,” he said. “I tried my uncle’s (Miller) High Life at 13, but I was always more interested in my grandpa’s import beer. I know what I like, and I wanted to create beer that gives a sense of place and an integrity to the brand.” He has watched his company evolve since day one, and his small amount of capital come to fruition.
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SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
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