November 19th 2018 Buena Vista, Colorado- Eddyline Brewery founded by Mic and Molley Heynekamp in 2009 recently completed the sale of the company to long time employees Brian England and Melissa McFee this October.
The brewery, which fielded offers from venture capital and investment firms, decided that selling to England and McFee was simply the right thing to do, and would leave the brewery in hands that not only cared for the brewery and its employees but also would carry on the legacy that the Heynekamps had built over the last 9 years.
“Brian and Melissa were the natural fit to take the lead and ownership at Eddyline, said former owner Mic Heynekamp. ‘Brian purchased the original Eddyline location from us in 2014 and stepped up as CEO in 2015 when Molley and I moved to New Zealand. Melissa is a Buena Vista native, and has been our CFO for the past five years. They are the perfect team to takeover the brewery.”
The sale took some creative financing and approvals from the local lenders. “We couldn’t have made this deal happen without our local community bank, they saw the strength in the deal and were able to be flexible in their lending,” says England.
Although, the Heynekamps are selling the US operations, they will maintain a strong connection with the Eddyline brand. Mic and Molley opened Eddyline in Nelson, New Zealand in 2016 and in 2019 they will expand their operation and begin packaging into cans and distributing across New Zealand.
“Selling our US operations will allow us to build up our operations in New Zealand, and we are excited to still work alongside Brian and Melissa on the global Eddyline brand,” says Heynekamp.
“We are so excited to continue to build upon Mic and Molly’s legacy here in Colorado,’ says McFee. “Brian and I are looking forward to continue growing the brand, and bringing back 100% of the ownership back to Buena Vista. We were excited that Mic and Molley decided to sell locally as opposed to selling to a large conglomerate or venture capital. This way we can continue to stay 100% Independent and a true craft brewer.”
Eddyline is continuing to focus its effort on the Colorado market as maximizing quality and value have been critical to their success; however, Eddyline is also looking and considering other markets that fit in with Eddyline’s vision. “Colorado is but one small adventurous state in a world of adventure! Wherever adventures are happening we want our Eddyline beer!” says Heynekamp.
The brewery, known for its hop-forward portfolio will see little changes outside of a brand update and a few new releases for the time being.
“We will continue to focus on Colorado and the hoppy beers like Crank Yanker IPA and Epic Day Double IPA that we have become known for,” says England. “We have a great team here at Eddyline and we can’t wait for what the future holds for us.”
For information, samples, or interviews contact Marketing Director Sheila Bustamante at Sheila@eddylinebrewing.com
About Eddyline Brewery
Eddyline Taproom & Brewery is one of Colorado’s fastest growing microbreweries. Since 2009, Eddyline has been focused on creating unique ales and lagers of the highest quality while representing Colorado’s outdoor enthusiasts. Our 16-ounce cans are infinitely recyclable, preserve the quality and freshness of the beer and are easily transportable for your favorite outdoor adventures. Eddyline works closely with local groups to help improve trails, river parks, and strongly believes in being an active steward of the local Chaffee County community.
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