Abita Post Katrina Sales/Brewhouse Expansion
The Abita Brewing Company is proud to announce the expansion of their state of the art brewhouse facility, a positive post-Katrina move for the popular Abita Springs based-brewery. February 13, 2006 Breaking Ground For New Brew Cellar The Abita Brewing Company is proud to announce the expansion their state of the art brewhouse facility, a positive post-Katrina move for the popular Abita Springs based-brewery. This expansion comes just eighteen months after a major construction project to upgrade the brewery in 2004. Abita credits their newest expansion to continued sales growth for the company and anticipation of future growth. “Good things are happening at the Abita Brewing Company,” according to David Blossman, President of Abita Beer, “We’re operating at full capacity and our sales are very strong. We need this expansion project to increase our brewing capacity while still continuing to maintain the high quality and consistency standards of the Abita Brewing Company.” Blossman continued, “We’re also making a strong statement about the future of New Orleans and Abita Beer. Sixty-five percent of our business comes from the New Orleans area and we believe the demand for local products will be stronger than ever as the city continues to rebuild. We are committed to investing in the future of our company and the future of the New Orleans region.” The expansion will add a new 6,400 square foot cellar facility to their existing state-of-the-art brewhouse. The new building will house four new enormous 300-barrel tanks and one smaller 100-barrel tank. The temperature within the cellar will be maintained with a new energy-efficient 120-ton glycol chiller. Abita Sales Keep On Growing “We’re proud to say that Abita is still growing as a brewery, despite hurricane Katrina,” continued Blossman. “Before the storm, sales were up an amazing 24% over the previous year. Since the storm, we’ve still maintained a steady nine to ten percent growth rate,” stated Blossman. “People who love New Orleans and Louisiana Culture tend to rally around local brands like ours. There’s no doubt in my mind that our reputation as a beer of great quality with a Louisiana heritage has enabled us to stay strong throughout these tough times. Yes, we’re growing, but we will never, ever sacrifice quality for quantity,” concluded Blossman. # |
