Berkshire Brewing Company
Gary
Bogoff [photo] was a general contractor and cabinet maker
prior to launching Berkshire Brewing Company in 1994. What started
out as a hobby in 1991, took Gary and his co-founders on a journey
that they could not possibly imagine.
A key skill Gary developed as a
contractor and cabinet maker was to ask lots of questions. During
the genesis of his business, it was of the local business assistance
network that answered his questions about the possibilities of
owning his beer company. He started with the Franklin County Chamber
of Commerce who were very helpful and referred him to the Franklin
County Community Development Corporation for more advice. The
business support community next connected him to the Western
Regional Office of the Massachusetts Small Business Development
Center. The assistance from all the resources led him to be able to
secure an SBA loan from Fleet Bank to purchase the building they now
reside in – which opened in October of 1994. Gary has worked with
Western Regional Office of the MSBDC throughout the years and
continues to do so.
As Berkshire Brewing Company grew, the capacity (or lack thereof) to bottle and can beer grew along with the company. You see, the first ten years, Gary and his small team literally hand bottled all their beer. When this was no longer practical, he transported the beer to a canning facility. Wanting independence and control, he started working towards the purchase of canning equipment.
Gary reached out for access to capital
counseling from the MSBDC Central Regional Office to secure
financing through the SBA 504 loan program. After completing the
process, his company was approved for a 504 loan, administrated by
BDC Capital and third party financing through SBA lender, Community
Bank NA (formerly NUVO, a division of Merchants Bank). The canning
equipment/machines have increased the brewery’s capacity from 3,100
gallons a year (in the early days) to an incredible 620,000 gallons
today – leading to higher revenues from his bottom line!
As Gary looked to grow the brand and
explore other markets, he enlisted the assistance of the MSBDC
Western Regional Office on marketing strategy. They utilized a
unique program where business student interns from the Isenberg
School of Management at UMass Amherst helped develop and solidify
the marketing plan. Additionally, Gary has worked with the MSBDC's
Massachusetts Export Center exploring sales opportunities overseas
in China and France.
Located less than a mile from the popular
tourist spot Yankee Candle, the brewery has become a popular place
for visitors to experience a tour of the facility. All BBC beer is
unfiltered, unpasteurized, and contains no chemical additives or
preservatives. This ensures that all their beer is fresh, local, and
delicious. Since their opening they have grown from two employees to
over 60 full time employees. Their high quality and loyal
staff have contributed to the company’s success; today they are in
the list of top 75 craft brewers in New England. As craft brewers,
they produce nine styles of beer year round and up to 25-30
different brews in total.
Gary built his business on this founding
principle, "it’s all about the beer, but beer is nothing without the
people."
As a small local brewer, Gary has always
ensured his company was an integral part of the community. They have
donated a portion of its Shabadoo beer sales to the Food Bank of
Western Mass. Their donation since 1996 has exceeded $200,000 which
is roughly 600,000 meals. They also contribute to local causes such
as scholarships, homeless veteran home projects and others.
Additionally, they donate all of their spent grain to local dairy
farms.
Gary’s "hobby" has become an amazing
success story of an entrepreneur who utilized the large network of
small business assistance that made his dreams a reality!
