From Uinta:
August 28, 2014, Salt Lake City, UT — After experiencing accelerated growth over the past few years and recently completing a major brewery expansion, Uinta Brewing Company looks long-term with an investment from The Riverside Company. The injection of financial and strategic resources by Riverside will grant Uinta the ability to keep doing what they are doing—producing notable craft beer in a sustainable way using quality ingredients and state-of-the-art equipment.
Founded 21 years ago by Will Hamill, Uinta has grown to be one of the top 50 craft brewers in the United States by volume. The foundation for Uinta’s impressive growth has been a strong, embedded culture with deep local roots and capable wings. With this foundation firmly in place, the Riverside investment will provide support and resources to sustain Uinta’s incredible momentum over the coming years. Hamill will remain as Uinta’s CEO and significant owner and will continue to lead the brewery as it accelerates its growth and presence in the craft beer market. Comprised of passionate craft beer lovers and outdoor enthusiasts, Uinta’s employees and management team remain as committed as ever, and plans to continue to grow the Uinta family are already underway.
“We’re especially excited to partner with a strong and respected brand like Uinta,” said Riverside Managing Partner Loren Schlachet. “The craft beer movement is expanding significantly and Uinta has enormous growth potential in both new and existing markets.”
Uinta recently completed an $18 million brewery expansion and will continue to invest in expanding its production capacity and distribution footprint. In 2013, the brewery produced nearly 60,000 barrels of beer and 2014 is poised to be another year of record growth.
“With its fantastic beer and branding, Uinta has already won many fans throughout the country,” said Riverside Vice President Steve Rice. “We’re delighted to be part of the next chapter in Uinta’s growth story, and we look forward to working with Will and his outstanding team.”
“I’m extremely proud of Uinta and our team and eager to expand upon our capabilities. The future looks bright for Uinta Brewing and the craft beer industry as a whole and I am very excited to see what’s on tap for us in the coming years,” said Hamill. “The brewery is extremely humbled by the growing enthusiasm for our brand and the Uinta team is ‘hopped up’ to share our beer with more craft beer consumers near and far.”
UPDATE 29 Aug 2014 from Uinta Owner & FOunder WIll Hamill:
Letter from Uinta Founder and CEO, Will Hamill:
Heading down 1700 S toward the brewery today, first passing our original leased building (and laughing to myself that we once operated out of there) and then seeing the familiar fermentation tanks and top red stripe of the brewery come in to view, I was overwhelmed with a sense of excitement and pride. The truth is that each morning I pull up to the brewery I’m proud and in awe of Uinta – what started as a passion for me has now grown to be a nationally known craft beer brand – and to say that I am humbled by it all is an understatement.
With demand for our beer escalating and with a major brewery expansion under our belt, it became apparent that I could no longer go it alone. Yesterday, I accepted an investment from The Riverside Company and today marks the beginning of a new chapter for Uinta Brewing Company. Riverside brings some much needed business acumen and financial support to the table for Uinta; sure I’ve been at it for 21 years, but at heart, I’m just a brewer.
I cant help but wonder if this is what it feels like to drop your kid off at college– a bittersweet moment of setting free this being that you built from scratch to let others help shape their future. The difference here though, is that I don’t have to wave goodbye or take a back seat – I get to drive and our nest is very much full.
I, of course, have always had profound belief in Uinta’s beer and brand and now, it’s remarkable to see just how deeply imbedded our foundation and talent lies. Over the last several months, in our quest for the right partner, I had the opportunity to put on display the passion and knowledge that exists within Uinta. I got to introduce our personality and to bare the guts of our immense, unique brand culture and the passionate Uinta Orienteers that make it all happen. And better yet, I got to show off the amazing craft beers we are brewing here at Uinta.
As a parent, or in this case, the owner of a company, you want to give that entity you created every chance to succeed and to grow. I’m confident that Riverside will support us in seeking every opportunity to do so. Compass in hand, Uinta has beer to brew and mountains to climb and our team is pumped to keep our momentum going so that we can continue to share our fantastic beer with more craft beer consumers.
Uinta has incredible fans and partners and we’re looking forward to growing those relationships and to creating new ones along the way. Daily, I’m grateful to be a part of the ever-growing Craft Beer industry and I’m more excited than ever to lead Uinta Brewing Company in this next chapter.
Thanks to everyone for your continued support and enthusiasm and and most of all, thanks for drinking Uinta!
Cheers,
Will
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