Cervezas Althaia celebrates its premiere. The Altea-based company has reopened its factory after relocating it to a new location with expanded facilities that will allow production to be tripled. According to the company’s co-founder, Mayte Pardo, production will increase from 6,000 liters per month to 14,000 liters, enabling them to meet the current demand.
This production will supply more bars and restaurants in the province of Alicante that are less specialized in beer and the whole Valencian Community. According to Pardo, the product has been well-received in Catalonia and Murcia over recent years. Moreover, September will be a noteworthy month because they are preparing an ‘in and out’ in Aldi. The supermarket chain will sell Althaia for a short period. This first foray into such a large food chain is thanks to the fact that they have been told to be “friendly and respectful with craft beer”, while at the same time being compatible with the prices they set.
However, Pardo expressed the intention to continue betting on the Valencian Community, food stores, craft and gourmet beverages, and the hospitality industry in the area. Given that the previous facilities did not have enough space to meet the brand’s market demand, the expansion of the factory was intended to respond to it.
The expansion project had an investment round of 500,000 euros that they finally got through a fundraising campaign in Fellow Funders and reached 115% of the total, plus funding from the Valencian Institute of Finance (IVF) to culminate in a “greater scope” project, Pardo stated. This renovation also served to renew all the machinery, providing greater productivity and improving the product’s quality.
Along with the brewing facilities, the brewery is open to the public for guided tours with a food and wine pairing or to refresh yourself in the Tap Room, where beers are served directly from the fermenter. There are eight taps for different types of beers. The facilities have a terrace overlooking the brewery and zero-kilometer food, plus pets are allowed.
Although the pandemic affected tourism, Pardo reports that the groups for visits have been extended from one to three days a week. For the entrepreneurs, the welcome is “very positive”: the groups are complete. According to the co-founder, the groups are full, thanks, in large part, to the ease achieved by setting up a space for reservations on the website.
During the pandemic, one of the changes introduced was a brand renewal, giving more prominence to its link with the Mediterranean. Likewise, they have opted to differentiate two lines: illustrious and essential. For the latter, they will expand the range with Mediterranean IPA, Mediterranean Lager, and Mediterranean Märzen (gluten-free), plus an alcohol-free IPA.
Fuente: alicanteplaza
