With all the beauty of the island that he lives on, Maui Brewing Company’s Garrett Marrero is steadfast vigilant when it comes to sustainability for his brewery.
“We believe that craft beer is about integrity, innovation, and a sense of place,” he said. “To us, that “place” is our home, Hawaii, and with our beaches and the ocean. We plan to protect it for all future generations.”
For his role in the brewery’s environmental efforts along with ambition, drive and talent of taking an idea that had never existed and bringing it to market, the founder of Maui Brewing was recently honored as the Hawaii Venture Capital Association’s Entrepreneur of the Year.
“I’m deeply honored to be chosen for this award,” he said in a statement from the brewery. “I’m beyond thrilled both professionally and personally … . This award belongs to everyone at Maui Brewing, I’m blessed to work with an amazing group of people.”
Marrero won the award from a field of seven candidates ranging in a variety of fields of business.
Maui Brewing recently completed its new production facility, which has increased capacity from 24,000 barrels to 100,000. Creating jobs in an expensive locale, buying locally produced products when feasible, and continuing to build a brand that supports Hawaii and, most specifically Maui, is all part of Garrett’s vision.
“As a true craft brewer, our concerns are always to make the best beer we can, and do so leaving a minimal environmental footprint on the community,” he said.
The brewery works to leave as small of a carbon and human footprint on the island as possible, as evidenced by the array of solar panels that cover the brewhouse’s roof, the EV chargers that are located at the brewery, and investments that will allow the brewery to operate off-grid.
“Our dream of producing 100 percent of our electricity on site and ‘brewing with the sun’ will soon be a reality,” Marrero said. “Beyond the green initiatives, it is also fiscally responsible for us to invest in our energy independence, to create a solid foundation for all our ohana [family]. The state has a 100 percent renewable energy goal by 2045, we’ll be well ahead of that.”
This isn’t the first business award for Marrero and the 10-year-old brewery. In 2009, he was selected by the U.S. Small Business Administration as Small Business Person of the year for Hawaii with a similar award that year given by the Maui County Mayor’s office. He was also named to the “40 Under 40” list by Pacific Business News in 2008.
The recent expansion was not just for more beer, but to allow MBC to evolve into a “craft beverage company” with plans to distill as well as produce craft sodas, ciders, and meads for those with gluten-free dietary restrictions.
Maui Brewing has been making “Island Root Beer” for several years. Hard cola and ginger beers are nearly ready but it said the focus will then be on our spirits line which will include whiskey, gin, and possibly rum.
Ciders and meads are forecasted officials told The Brewer Magazine, but it will target current projects first.
Maui Brewing currently is available in 17 states and 13 countries. The expansion of products themselves will not extend beyond that reach, but it hopes to broaden into more areas that will include the entire Maui Brewing Co. beverage lineup.
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