Sierra Nevada continues its good-neighbor attitude 30 years after its start through continuing to reuse materials, minimize waste, and innovate with equipment.
Thirty years ago, when Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, Calif., opened its doors, fewer than 50 breweries existed in the United States. Today, while consolidation has continued with large domestic brewers, more than 1,500 craft breweries are in operation.
Only recently have American consumers begun to understand probiotic cultures and their health benefits, which have been well-known in other parts of the world. As probiotic awareness has spread, Lifeway Foods, Morton Grove, Ill., has reported yearly growth, especially in its core product lineup of kefir, a cultured dairy beverage containing multiple strains of probiotic cultures.
In seven years, Oskar Blues has grown from brewing one type of beer in the basement of its Lyons, Colo., brewpub to producing 29,000 barrels of beer in five varieties and distributing its products in 25 states.